Lights Out in Karbala: Iraq’s Grid Fails During Arbaeen Heat Wave
One of the world’s biggest religious gatherings unfolded in near-total blackout on Monday when Iraq’s power grid buckled under the strain. As millions of Shiite pilgrims flooded Karbala for the Arbaeen ritual, the country’s electricity network failed, plunging entire provinces into the sweltering dark.
Electricity Ministry Undersecretary for Production Affairs Mohammed Nema said crews raced to the scene, scrambling to repair the damaged transmission lines. Power, he promised, would be back “within hours.”
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The breakdown struck hardest in Babylon province and Karbala itself. Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Musa blamed “record-high temperatures, surging demand, and increased electrical loads” for disconnecting key lines and ripping more than 6,000 megawatts from the system. That sudden drop, he explained, sent generating units spinning faster until automatic safety systems shut them down.
It was a brutal combination: a nationwide heat wave pushing thermometers to around 50 degrees Celsius, an aging grid already strained by years of neglect, and an influx of pilgrims from across Iraq and beyond. Without fans or air conditioning, the heat became oppressive, especially for those navigating crowded streets and prayer grounds.
Iraq’s electricity shortages are a familiar summer ordeal, but the timing of this collapse—at the height of Arbaeen—turned an inconvenience into a crisis. The pilgrimage, honoring Imam Hussein, is one of the largest annual human gatherings on Earth, with millions walking for days to reach the city.
Officials say repairs are under way and vow to stabilize the grid before the pilgrimage peaks later this week. Until then, Iraq’s faithful and its fragile infrastructure will be tested together under the relentless sun.
