Seymchan (urban-type settlement)
Seymchan (Russian: Сеймча́н, IPA: [sʲɪjmˈtɕan]) is an urban locality (an urban-type settlement) and the administrative center of Srednekansky District of Magadan Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Seymchan River, near its confluence with the Kolyma, and about 350 kilometers (220 mi) north of Magadan. Population: 2,818 (2010 Census);[1] 3,725 (2002 Census);[5] 9,963 (1989 Census).[6]
Seymchan
Сеймчан | |
|---|---|
Urban-type settlement[1] | |
Location of Seymchan 
| |
  Seymchan Location of Seymchan  Seymchan Seymchan (Magadan Oblast) | |
| Coordinates: 62°55′51″N 152°23′06″E | |
| Country | Russia |
| Federal subject | Magadan Oblast[1] |
| Administrative district | Srednekansky District[1] |
| Population | |
| • Total | 2,818 |
| • Estimate (2018)[2] | 2,163 (−23.2%) |
| • Capital of | Srednekansky District[1] |
| Time zone | UTC+11 (MSK+8  [3]) |
| Postal code(s)[4] | 686160 |
| OKTMO ID | 44710000051 |
History
The settlement was founded in the late 17th century by Yakuts. Its name derives from the Yakut language word Kheymchen, meaning Polynya. In the 19th century, the trade route between the Kolyma region and the Sea of Okhotsk, the Ola-Kolyma-Trakt was constructed through the settlement.
Economic development of the settlement increased with the opening of the first gold mines in 1931, and the discovery and later exploitation of brown coal reserves at Elgen in 1932, tin reserves in 1937 and cobalt ore in the early 1940s.
The construction of the modern settlement Seymchan began in 1940. During World War 2, an airfield was constructed to allow the delivery of aircraft through the Lend-Lease-Program between the Soviet Union and the USA.
From 1949 until 1955, the sub-settlement Nizhny-Seymchan (later called Kolymskoye and abandoned in 2005), located a few kilometres to the south directly on the Kolyma, was the location of a prison camp of Dalstroy, part of the Gulag camp network. Up to 5,700 prisoners were used in the mining of gold and tin, as well as timber production.[7]
Seymchan was granted urban-type settlement status in 1953.
Economy
The settlement is a regional food processing and timber industry center.
Transportation
Seymchan is connected by road with Magadan through a Kolyma Highway spur.
The Seymchan Airport is located half-way between Seymchan and Kolymskoye, with a paved RWY 18/36.[8] During World War II, the airport was used to distribute American Lend-Lease war material to production facilities within the Soviet Union.
Climate
Seymchan has a severe subarctic climate Dfc, closely bordering the Dfd subtype with very dry winters due to the influence of the persistent Siberian High in the months of low sun. Winters are extremely cold, although not as cold as Dfd climates such as Oymyakon, Delyankir, Verkhoyansk etc. Summers are short and mild, but sometimes very warm. Precipitation is quite low, but is somewhat higher in summer than at other times of the year.
| Climate data for Seymchan | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | −5.9 (21.4) |
−7.0 (19.4) |
8.7 (47.7) |
12.6 (54.7) |
28.0 (82.4) |
35.2 (95.4) |
36.1 (97.0) |
35.9 (96.6) |
27.8 (82.0) |
16.7 (62.1) |
6.7 (44.1) |
0.9 (33.6) |
36.1 (97.0) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −33.6 (−28.5) |
−27.9 (−18.2) |
−16.8 (1.8) |
−3.6 (25.5) |
9.7 (49.5) |
20.8 (69.4) |
23.0 (73.4) |
19.1 (66.4) |
10.5 (50.9) |
−5.3 (22.5) |
−23.4 (−10.1) |
−32.8 (−27.0) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −37.4 (−35.3) |
−33.7 (−28.7) |
−25.2 (−13.4) |
−10.6 (12.9) |
4.2 (39.6) |
13.8 (56.8) |
15.9 (60.6) |
12.1 (53.8) |
4.1 (39.4) |
−10.9 (12.4) |
−27.9 (−18.2) |
−36.4 (−33.5) |
−11.0 (12.2) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −41.6 (−42.9) |
−39.0 (−38.2) |
−32.8 (−27.0) |
−18.8 (−1.8) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
6.3 (43.3) |
8.6 (47.5) |
5.2 (41.4) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
−15.8 (3.6) |
−32.4 (−26.3) |
−40.4 (−40.7) |
−17.0 (1.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −59.1 (−74.4) |
−58.2 (−72.8) |
−53.4 (−64.1) |
−44.7 (−48.5) |
−27.9 (−18.2) |
−6.4 (20.5) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
−9.0 (15.8) |
−19.6 (−3.3) |
−40.1 (−40.2) |
−53.6 (−64.5) |
−56.6 (−69.9) |
−59.1 (−74.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 24.4 (0.96) |
20.2 (0.80) |
13.3 (0.52) |
8.5 (0.33) |
13.1 (0.52) |
32.4 (1.28) |
43.9 (1.73) |
44.8 (1.76) |
29.1 (1.15) |
20.1 (0.79) |
27.0 (1.06) |
23.1 (0.91) |
299.9 (11.81) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 18.7 | 16.7 | 12.2 | 7.2 | 6.4 | 9.2 | 11.4 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 12.2 | 17.2 | 17.9 | 149.3 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 72.6 | 70.0 | 66.9 | 62.7 | 55.8 | 61.0 | 65.0 | 73.8 | 72.5 | 76.8 | 76.6 | 74.2 | 69.0 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 24 | 84 | 192 | 275 | 287 | 308 | 284 | 210 | 145 | 107 | 51 | 8 | 1,975 |
| Source: climatebase.ru[9] | |||||||||||||
2007 Mi-8 helicopter crash
Commercial flights from Seymchan to nearby remote areas using the local forest fire protection service's Mi-8 helicopters are routine. On September 15, 2007 one such flight crashed on the Suruktash mountain while on its way to deliver paying passengers to the vicinity of the Burgali River. Six people died, and one, the craft's commander, survived with severe burns. The wreck and the survivor were spotted by another Mi-8, and the victim was flown to Seymchan for transport to a hospital.[10]
Meteorite
The settlement's name was used to identify a huge olivine bearing stony-iron meteorite of over 800 pounds, called the Seymchan meteorite, which was discovered in the bed of a brook in the summer of 1967.
References
- Russian Federal State Statistics Service (2011). "Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года. Том 1" [2010 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1]. Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года [2010 All-Russia Population Census] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service.
- "26. Численность постоянного населения Российской Федерации по муниципальным образованиям на 1 января 2018 года". Federal State Statistics Service. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
- "Об исчислении времени". Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
- Почта России. Информационно-вычислительный центр ОАСУ РПО. (Russian Post). Поиск объектов почтовой связи (Postal Objects Search) (in Russian)
- Russian Federal State Statistics Service (May 21, 2004). "Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек" [Population of Russia, Its Federal Districts, Federal Subjects, Districts, Urban Localities, Rural Localities—Administrative Centers, and Rural Localities with Population of Over 3,000] (XLS). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года [All-Russia Population Census of 2002] (in Russian).
- "Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров" [All Union Population Census of 1989: Present Population of Union and Autonomous Republics, Autonomous Oblasts and Okrugs, Krais, Oblasts, Districts, Urban Settlements, and Villages Serving as District Administrative Centers]. Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года [All-Union Population Census of 1989] (in Russian). Институт демографии Национального исследовательского университета: Высшая школа экономики [Institute of Demography at the National Research University: Higher School of Economics]. 1989 – via Demoscope Weekly.
- South-west labour camp, Dalstroy (German)
- "Seymchan Airport". OurAirports. Retrieved January 20, 2013.
- "Seymchan, Russia". Climatebase.ru. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
- "Missing Mi-8 crashed in Magadan region, six die", ITAR-TASS News Agency, September 16, 2007. Accessed 2007-09-16.
External links
- Unofficial website of Seymchan (in Russian)
 | Districts |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cities and towns | |||
| Urban-type settlements | |||