Climate Adaptation
Record Heat Sets Off a Cascade of Suffering in Baghdad
Widespread blackouts have led many to rely on diesel generators, adding to dangerous levels of air pollution.
An Iraqi woman cools down with water from a hose in Baghdad, on Aug. 1.
Photographer: Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
The Middle East is enduring one of its hottest summers ever, but Iraqis have had it especially tough.
In Baghdad last week, the temperature reached 52° Celsius (125° Fahrenheit), the highest figure ever measured for the capital. Basra, a southern oil hub, reached 53°C, just one degree shy of the overall heat record for the country set in 2016. While things cooled down before the weekend celebration of Eid-al-Adha, temperatures remained well above their historical averages.