Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and parts of Croatia’s Adriatic coast have experienced widespread power outages due to soaring temperatures, reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius. In Montenegro, nearly the entire country was left without electricity, according to the local energy company CEDIS. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital Sarajevo, along with Banja Luka and Mostar, also faced power disruptions, with reports of outages throughout the country.
In Croatia, the energy company HEP attributed outages in some areas to “an international disturbance affecting multiple countries.” The power failure impacted much of Croatia’s Adriatic coast, including the city of Split, where traffic lights ceased functioning, leading to gridlock.
Additionally, Albania experienced power loss in several cities, including the capital Tirana, due to a failed interconnector in Montenegro, as reported by Albanian TV channel Top Channel.
The Northern Hemisphere is facing unprecedented heat in 2024, contributing to severe forest fires across the Mediterranean region, from Portugal to Greece and northern Africa. Serbia is expecting temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius this week, driven by hot winds from North Africa. The extreme heat has resulted in significant fatalities in Asia and Europe. In Saudi Arabia, nearly two million pilgrims are completing the Hajj in Mecca, where temperatures have exceeded 51 degrees Celsius, leading to numerous deaths.