BAGHDAD — Gripped by soaring heat, Iraqis in Baghdad try to stay cool by swimming in the Tigris River. A sweltering heat wave has pushed temperatures up to 43 degrees Celsius (109 F). With constant power cuts, it is a struggle for Baghdad residents to cool down during the merciless heat. "Our homes are small and narrow, so we have to come here because when there is no electricity for one or two hours, there is no place to go but the river to swim," says Baghdad resident Amer Mahmoud. Iraq's power grid is unable to meet daily demand, and residents contend with rolling blackouts. Baghdad residents receive less than 12 hours of power per day. So, when the mercury rises, it is an uphill battle for Iraqis to keep cool. At the Azamiyah neighbourhood in Baghdad, young boys and men climb a rock in the river, then jump into the water. That spot in the Tigris River is usually considered too dirty to swim in, but the burning heat and power cuts are leaving some with no choice. The struggle to escape the heat affects animals too. At a pet store in Baghdad, Sajad Abbas douses dogs and cats with water to help them cope. "Most of these pets are European, they cannot handle Iraq's heat," Abbas says. The desert sun typically brings broiling summers in Iraq. To cope with the heat, Iraqis either stay indoors or swim in rivers. In some public places, showers are set up for those who want to cool down. Last year, temperatures climbed above 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in parts of the country. Billions of dollars have been spent on fixing the power grid since 2003 US-led invasion. Reporting by Associated Press
