Argentina: extreme heat wave causes havoc, blackout
Audio 01:23
A salesperson puts products in his store during a power outage, in the middle of a heat wave, in Buenos Aires, Argentina on January 11, 2022. REUTERS - AGUSTIN MARCARIAN
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
Argentina is currently experiencing an extreme heat wave with temperatures above 40 degrees across much of the country.
Among the undesirable consequences: power cuts due to the widespread use of air conditioners.
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With our correspondent in Buenos Aires
,
Théo Conscience
Like much of
Buenos Aires
and its surroundings, the Palermo neighborhood found itself without power on Tuesday, January 11, leaving some 700,000 people without electricity for several hours.
Due to the hot weather, even the traffic lights stopped working, causing chaos in the city.
Among the concerns: power cuts linked to overconsumption of electricity due to air conditioners.
And it didn't take long: several districts of the capital are currently without electricity, like here in Palermo where the traffic lights are off # CorteDeLuz pic.twitter.com/evgBzf3akH
- Théo Conscience (@TheoConscience) January 11, 2022
In the café restaurant where Josep works, the customers have left and the employees twiddling their thumbs while they wait for the power to come back on.
“
Without electricity, you can hardly do anything, because almost all the equipment is electronic.
So we called the supplier, and we hope he will solve the problem quickly
, ”he says.
On the sidewalk opposite, in front of his ice cream shop, Nelson is more bothered.
It's over 40 degrees and he can't sit idly by while his merchandise melts like snow in the sun.
“
It's the first time we've had a problem with the electricity here.
In three years, that had never happened to me.
If the power has not returned in 10 minutes, I will go get a generator
, ”testifies the seller.
A little further on, in a grocery store, Sylvia looks disillusioned.
“
I can't cash the items, I don't know all the prices, so it makes life very difficult for me.
You can't sell anything, you can't do anything
, ”explains this Venezuelan, accustomed to power cuts, but who left her country - among others - to escape it.
According to
the energy regulator REC
, this massive blackout was caused by the rupture of a high voltage line, which occurred when a historical record of electricity consumption was about to be broken.
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