Why is Oymyakon called the "pole of cold"?
Oymyakon is a village on the banks of the Indigirka River. in the eastern part of Yakutia, in which the air temperature dropped to record lows -71,2 ° CThe village is called the coldest place on Earth. It has similarly frigid rivals (for example, the village of Tomtor, the city of Verkhoyansk, and Antarctica), but the residents of Oymyakon have settled the debate. They erected a stele in the middle of the village with the inscription: "Oymyakon—the pole of cold." Next to it are the terrifying minimum temperature figures.
Such a temperature fixed In 1926, members of the expedition of the discoverer of the pole of cold in the Northern Hemisphere, academician Sergei ObruchevBut even a hundred years later, global warming is not felt here, and the air temperature regularly drops below 60°C. Oymyakon is also called a basin (or a lake of cold), it is Surrounded by mountains, at an altitude of 740 meters above sea level. Cold air from the peaks descends into the valleys—this is the secret of the low temperatures. The temperature fluctuations are very sharp: on a summer day, the air can warm up to +30°C, and cool down to +10°C. Despite the climate's vagaries, more than 300 people live here permanently. How do they live? I wonder.
The houses are heated by stoves, because it's the most reliable, and they melt ice to get water. The neighboring village of Koidusun has running water, but it only runs hot; cold water simply freezes. There's no sewer system either, and the toilets, although heated, are located in the courtyard. There's no public transportation in Oymyakon, only private vehicles—SUVs, snowmobiles, or horses. Cars are double-glazed and kept in insulated garages, otherwise they won't start. If a car sits outside for a couple of hours, the tires will harden. Gas consumption is twice as high as in areas with more pleasant temperatures. Children in elementary grades are allowed to stay home from school. 52°C, and for older children - only at 58 ° C.
The locals make their living by fishing, hunting, and breeding Yakut horses, reindeer, and cows. The local horses are unpretentious and forage for grass under the snow, just like the reindeer. But the cows are more gentle creatures; they even have to sew special fur bras to keep the udder warm. Tourists have a spectacle causes strong emotions.
With the arrival of spring, things begin here large-scale events, including the "Oymyakon—Pole of Cold" festival. The program includes reindeer races, sledding, singing, dancing, and a gathering of Father Frosts. Incidentally, because of these events, the festival had to be postponed until late March or April. The Father Frosts in Oymyakon found it too cold in winter.
