YANGON, Oct 5 — Myanmar warned citizens to expect scheduled power outages starting Monday, saying the electrical grid is being strained by an unseasonable heatwave it blamed on the El Nino weather phenomenon.
Homes and businesses in war-struck Myanmar are regularly plunged into blackouts, some spontaneous and others set on a timetable to ease the burden on the fragile power infrastructure.
Many richer residents use generators or back-up batteries, while the poorer citizens of the tropical nation are left to swelter without fans or air conditioning.
“Due to the effects of severe El Nino conditions, temperatures across the country have risen significantly, resulting in increased electricity consumption,” the energy ministry said.
