Tunisia gripped by extreme heat, power cuts disrupt water supply
Theo Al Jazeera English
Tunisia is experiencing a new extreme heatwave, with temperatures nearing 50°C, driving record electricity demand and causing rolling blackouts that disrupt water supplies. Hospitals are overwhelmed by heat-related emergencies, while the government faces public anger and political controversy over the outages.
Tunisia is enduring a new extreme heatwave, with temperatures reaching 49.8°C in the central city of Kairouan on August 27. According to the Tunisian Weather and Climate Observatory, this was the second highest reading among monitoring stations worldwide that day, behind only Mehran, Iran, which recorded 50°C. Six Tunisian cities ranked among the 20 hottest monitoring stations globally.
The temperature also approached the national record of 50.3°C set on August 11, 2021. The heat has caused a sharp spike in electricity consumption as residents and businesses crank up air conditioning. The Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG) said power demand may have hit a record 6,000 megawatts in July, after reaching 5,600 MW just days earlier.
Rolling blackouts
STEG has implemented rolling power cuts in many areas nationwide to protect the safety and continuity of the electricity system, citing pressure from surging demand during the heatwave. The duration and frequency of outages vary, with some lasting several hours.
The power outages have also directly impacted the clean water system. Water pumping stations depend on electricity, so when power fails, many areas lose water supply. For instance, on August 24, a power outage halted the Kerker pumping station, disrupting drinking water in several areas of Mahdia and Sfax provinces, according to the National Water Exploitation and Distribution Company (SONEDE).
However, not all water shortages are caused by outages. Tunisia has long faced structural water scarcity and prolonged drought. The World Bank describes the country as confronting increasing pressure from water scarcity and climate change, and is supporting projects to improve the reliability of clean water services.
Hospitals under strain
The heat is also placing heavy pressure on emergency departments. On August 29, the Tunisian Young Doctors Organization said emergency wards were recording an “unprecedented” rise in deaths and hospitalizations linked to heatstroke and extreme temperatures. The group called on the government to declare a health emergency.
Wajih Dhakkar, the organization's head, said Habib Bourguiba Hospital in Sfax had recorded 13 deaths within 24 hours. Tunisia’s Health Ministry reported 633 cases requiring medical consultation and care due to heat effects from July 1 to August 29, while insisting health services remain continuous. The ministry did not release nationwide death figures.
Patients dependent on electricity-powered medical devices, such as oxygen ventilators, face difficulties during outages. However, there has been no official confirmation of surgeries canceled due to power cuts.
Political controversy
President Kais Saied on August 27 claimed investigations showed the power and water outages were not ordinary technical failures but deliberate sabotage aimed at creating tension and spreading rumors. He did not specify any alleged perpetrators. The claim has not been independently verified.
Repeated power and water outages have fueled public discontent and become a focal point of protests against the government. A protest in Tunis on August 20, organized by the Nafas movement, demanded better access to water and electricity, alongside concerns over living costs and political freedoms.
Experts warn that if the heatwave persists, electricity demand will remain high, putting constant pressure on the grid and potentially leading to new blackouts, affecting water, food, and medical equipment supplies.
