Iraq swelters in extreme heat as power cuts fuel protests and anger

Iraq's summer heat is amongst some of the most extreme on the planet. Here in Baghdad today it's 45 degrees centigrade, but it can get even hotter and climate change is making it worse. Some improvise to stem the heat. Since 2010 the number of 50 degree days in Iraq has jumped from fewer than five to more than 25 a year and when it's that hot you need air conditioning or at least a fan. But like many Iraqis, Shihab Hamid and his family only have electricity for about six hours each day. Without a way to cool down many suffer dehydration and heat stroke, particularly the elderly and other vulnerable people. What about someone who has had a stroke or has diabetes? They simply can't cope with these conditions. If they had an air conditioner they may be okay, but without one I honestly think they could die. An elderly person in this situation could lose their life. The war in Iran has made the situation even worse. Before Iran supplied more than 30% of the gas Iraq used to make electricity, but since Israel bombed Iran's south past gas field almost all of that supply has been cut. Before the summer peak our electricity shortfall was about 50%. Now it's closer to a 70% shortfall and that's creating unrest. Over the weekend violent protests broke out in Kut, central eastern Iraq in response to the lack of electricity. 20 protesters were injured in clashes with police, some critically. Police reportedly swept local hospital facilities looking to capture injured protesters. In the wake of the clashes 37 arrests were made. We spoke with a protest organizer by phone. There was anger. The streets were boiling with it. Everyone was there, educated people and uneducated people. At first we followed the law and protested peacefully, but when our demands were ignored we were met with force and clashes broke out. The local government has increased supply to Kut since Saturday, but in many other communities tempers are fraying. It's a problem that new Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi knows he must address while still placating the Trump administration that wants to see less Iranian influence over Baghdad. Prime Minister Zaidi is in Washington this week to shore up deals that are expected to bring greater US involvement in providing liquid natural gas in the short term and operating infrastructure that will help Iraq to tap its own gas. The initiative could be worth billions of dollars. A solution can't come soon enough for Baghdad's residents, be it from collaborating with Washington or Tehran. Jack Hewson, Al Jazeera, Baghdad.