Summer heat forces holiday

BAGHDAD – Iraq declared a government holiday Monday after temperatures soared above 120 degrees in the midst of a summer electricity crisis that has sparked public protests.

While the mercury has passed 120 degrees before, this year the scorching temperatures coincide with the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, when observant Muslims refrain from eating or drinking water from dawn until dusk. With Ramadan falling in the middle of summer this year and dawn coming just after 4 a.m., those fasting will go more than 14 hours without water.

“During my 31 years of work, this is the first time in my working life when the government announces a day off because of the hot weather,” says Salam Solaiman, from Iraq’s meteorological office.

The electricity shortages, which have deprived even government ministry buildings of their air conditioning, have become a politically explosive issue.

Iraqi officials say the electrical grid is providing eight hours a day of electricity to Iraqis and that full electrical service will take several years to establish. In reality, most people receive four or five hours a day, with electricity on for 15 minutes to an hour at a time and then off again.