50C heat in Baghdad

Iraqis struggle with heat as temperatures near 50C

Rudaw,

23 July, 2020

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqis swelter under a heatwave as temperatures soar to more than 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) amid a lack of electricity.

Shoppers and passersby in one of Baghdad's shopping districts are braving the heat with makeshift sprinkler systems and fans.

Temperatures in central and southern Iraq soared to more than 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) this week.

Iraqis say they are struggling to cope with the heat amid the lack of electricity in the country.

"I work in this market and come here to cool down using these water sprinklers. After work, I go home where water and electricity services are not available, that's how it is in Iraq," says Baghdad resident Abu Mustafa.

Power outages in Baghdad have increased amid the soaring heat and the demand for ice and power generators is on the rise.

The price of a block of ice, usually sold for around 2,000 Iraqi dinars ($2), is increasing in the capital.

Iraqis have suffered from power shortages for decades as the infrastructure suffered from neglect brought on by wars and UN trade sanctions under Saddam Hussein.

Billions of dollars have been spent trying to fix the power grid since the 2003 invasion, but many Iraqis, mainly Baghdad residents, still only receive an estimated 12 hours of power per day.