In pictures: Iraqis try to stay cool in 51C heat wave

Iraqis have been struggling to stay cool as a heat wave continues across much of the Middle East.

Temperature in the capital Baghdad approached 52 ° C on Tuesday, one of the highest the city has ever seen.

The heat was said to have remained above 51 ° C on Wednesday.

• Summers could become ‘too hot for humans’

Many people stayed inside, and some in central Baghdad sought respite under an impromptu shower.

But the extreme heat has put even more pressure on the country’s already depleted public resources.

The power outages have left many people in Baghdad dependent on generators to keep fans and air conditioners running.

The situation has sparked widespread anger, with renewed protests earlier this week.

At least two protesters died on Monday, and the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights reported that more than 20 people were killed by the security forces.

The country has also been hit by a drop in oil prices since the coronavirus pandemic began.

The pandemic has resulted in more than 118,000 cases and 4,603 deaths in Iraq, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.

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