As global temperatures continue to break records, Central Asia has emerged as one of the fastest-warming regions in the world, according to recent reports from the World Meteorological Organization. In response to life-threatening heatwaves, residents are turning to increasingly inventive, and sometimes unconventional, ways to stay cool.
With traditional methods like fans and air conditioning proving inadequate or inaccessible for many, people across the region are embracing a variety of creative cooling strategies.
A video circulating on social media shows a shop assistant in Shymkent, a city in southern Kazakhstan, climbing into a beverage refrigerator to cool off amid an intense heatwave.
In recent days, outdoor temperatures in the area have consistently topped 35°C, with the heat index making it feel closer to 50°C. Unable to endure the sweltering conditions inside the small grocery store, the woman, who was working at the cash register, was filmed sitting inside the fridge among bottles and cans.
Shoppers entering the store appeared unfazed, responding with humor and empathy.
«Look at her!» one person can be heard saying in the video.
«Leave her alone — let her do what she needs to,» another replies.
The clip quickly gained traction online, with many users sympathizing with workers enduring extreme conditions and applauding her improvised solution.
Meanwhile, in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, where temperatures have soared above 40°C, some residents are finding creative ways to stay cool.
A group of men transformed an ordinary pickup truck into a makeshift swimming pool. They lined the truck bed with plastic sheeting, filled it with water, and even set up a table with kebabs and cold drinks, right in the back of the vehicle.
Others took it a step further, sealing the entire interior of their car with plastic wrap, pouring in water, and cruising through the city in what resembled a mobile bathtub.
While the videos of these «do-it-yourself» cooling hacks quickly went viral, local police were less entertained. In both cases, the car owners and their passengers were fined for violating traffic and safety regulations.
Still, many online sympathized with the drivers, noting that the Tashkent heat has become nearly unbearable.
