MOSCOW- Record-breaking cold temperatures gripped parts of Siberia, with the Sakha Republic experiencing a severe early cold snap, pushing mercury levels below minus 50 degrees Celsius.

Yakutsk, renowned as one of the world's coldest cities, faced frigid temperatures ranging from minus 44 C to minus 48 C. This chilling phenomenon is unusual even for this permafrost-covered region, slightly smaller than India.

The impact of climate change is evident as temperatures of minus 50 C, once more commonplace, become rarer, contributing to permafrost thawing. In Moscow, an unprecedented snowfall disrupted normalcy, causing significant delays and cancellations at the city's major airports.

Runways were blanketed in thick snow, leading to 54 flight delays and five cancellations. The Russian capital is bracing for further cold, with temperatures forecasted to plummet to around minus 18 C later this week.