03:12N/A
Temperatures in Basra, southern Iraq, soared to 50 degrees Celsius, forcing many residents to seek refuge in the cooling waters of the Shatt al-Arab or rely on ice cubes amid worsening economic conditions.
"The weather is hot, pools require money, and we are unemployed, so we come to the shore to swim and cool ourselves," said Ali Hussein, a resident of Basra. "Electricity is not available, they cut it off for 5 or 6 or 7 hours, where do we go, as young men? Pools want money, and here we have Shatt al-Arab where we always swim, while pools require fees of up to 5,000 Iraqi dinars. Where do we get that amount from?".
Footage filmed on Sunday shows Iraqi youths swimming in the waters of Shatt al-Arab, while others are seen buying ice cubes.
"We work 24 hours. I start at 8 AM and stay until 8 PM, and there's another shift from 8 PM to 8 AM," said Ali Talib, an ice seller. "We sell salty ice blocks for 1000 or 1500 Iraqi dinars, while sweet ice blocks are priced between 2000 and 2500. The poor and needy take the blocks for free".
Some more well-off residents sought relief from the extreme heat and power cuts by visiting air-conditioned cafes.
Iraq has been experiencing a severe heatwave since 11 June, which peaked in Basra, one of the top 10 hottest cities in the world according to media reports.
Due to the high temperatures, the Iraqi Ministry of Environment posted a series of tips on its Facebook page to prevent skin dehydration and sunburn, including wearing light-coloured and lightweight clothing and avoiding direct exposure to the sun during peak hours.
The Shatt al-Arab is a river approximately 200 kilometres (120 miles) long, formed by the confluence of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers at the town of al-Qurnah in the Basra Governorate of southern Iraq.
Chill-tastic! Basra residents cool off with Shatt al-Arab, ice cubes as temperatures reach 50°C
Temperatures in Basra, southern Iraq, soared to 50 degrees Celsius, forcing many residents to seek refuge in the cooling waters of the Shatt al-Arab or rely on ice cubes amid worsening economic conditions.
"The weather is hot, pools require money, and we are unemployed, so we come to the shore to swim and cool ourselves," said Ali Hussein, a resident of Basra. "Electricity is not available, they cut it off for 5 or 6 or 7 hours, where do we go, as young men? Pools want money, and here we have Shatt al-Arab where we always swim, while pools require fees of up to 5,000 Iraqi dinars. Where do we get that amount from?".
Footage filmed on Sunday shows Iraqi youths swimming in the waters of Shatt al-Arab, while others are seen buying ice cubes.
"We work 24 hours. I start at 8 AM and stay until 8 PM, and there's another shift from 8 PM to 8 AM," said Ali Talib, an ice seller. "We sell salty ice blocks for 1000 or 1500 Iraqi dinars, while sweet ice blocks are priced between 2000 and 2500. The poor and needy take the blocks for free".
Some more well-off residents sought relief from the extreme heat and power cuts by visiting air-conditioned cafes.
Iraq has been experiencing a severe heatwave since 11 June, which peaked in Basra, one of the top 10 hottest cities in the world according to media reports.
Due to the high temperatures, the Iraqi Ministry of Environment posted a series of tips on its Facebook page to prevent skin dehydration and sunburn, including wearing light-coloured and lightweight clothing and avoiding direct exposure to the sun during peak hours.
The Shatt al-Arab is a river approximately 200 kilometres (120 miles) long, formed by the confluence of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers at the town of al-Qurnah in the Basra Governorate of southern Iraq.
N/A
Temperatures in Basra, southern Iraq, soared to 50 degrees Celsius, forcing many residents to seek refuge in the cooling waters of the Shatt al-Arab or rely on ice cubes amid worsening economic conditions.
"The weather is hot, pools require money, and we are unemployed, so we come to the shore to swim and cool ourselves," said Ali Hussein, a resident of Basra. "Electricity is not available, they cut it off for 5 or 6 or 7 hours, where do we go, as young men? Pools want money, and here we have Shatt al-Arab where we always swim, while pools require fees of up to 5,000 Iraqi dinars. Where do we get that amount from?".
Footage filmed on Sunday shows Iraqi youths swimming in the waters of Shatt al-Arab, while others are seen buying ice cubes.
"We work 24 hours. I start at 8 AM and stay until 8 PM, and there's another shift from 8 PM to 8 AM," said Ali Talib, an ice seller. "We sell salty ice blocks for 1000 or 1500 Iraqi dinars, while sweet ice blocks are priced between 2000 and 2500. The poor and needy take the blocks for free".
Some more well-off residents sought relief from the extreme heat and power cuts by visiting air-conditioned cafes.
Iraq has been experiencing a severe heatwave since 11 June, which peaked in Basra, one of the top 10 hottest cities in the world according to media reports.
Due to the high temperatures, the Iraqi Ministry of Environment posted a series of tips on its Facebook page to prevent skin dehydration and sunburn, including wearing light-coloured and lightweight clothing and avoiding direct exposure to the sun during peak hours.
The Shatt al-Arab is a river approximately 200 kilometres (120 miles) long, formed by the confluence of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers at the town of al-Qurnah in the Basra Governorate of southern Iraq.