«Chilling Apocalypse» in Kazakhstan: Residents Warned of -380℃ Frost

Residents in northern Kazakhstan received incorrect SMS alerts warning of temperatures plummeting to -380 degrees Celsius. This was reported by a correspondent from RIA Novosti.

Subscribers of the Tele2 mobile operator in northern Kazakhstan received a message from 112 (the emergency services hotline) stating that on December 8, severe frost was expected in the region, reaching -380℃.

“On 08.12.23, severe frost up to -380℃ is expected in the area. Classes will be canceled for grades 0-11,” the message read.

This announcement amused many Kazakhs, who began to widely share images of the message on social media. In the comments, users noted that despite this “chilling apocalypse,” they would still have to go to work.

Tele2’s press service commented on the situation to RIA Novosti, explaining that a technical error occurred in this case. “Certain services from the operator receive inquiries from the emergency department, which informs residents of different regions about weather changes. The sender of the data is 112 (the emergency services hotline), and we act merely as a messaging relay. This service can also be used for emergency services. In this instance, a technical error occurred, with the degree symbol (°) being replaced by a 0. After identifying the incorrect digit, a corrected message was sent to all subscribers in the region where severe frost was expected,” the company’s press service stated.

Earlier, the press service of “Kazhydromet” had warned Kazakhs that from December 9-11, under the influence of an Arctic anticyclone, much of the republic would experience dry and cold weather, with temperatures dropping as low as -43 degrees in some areas.