Power Cuts and Water Shortages in Tripoli

A Libya Herald article published earlier in the week highlights the miserable living conditions in Tripoli currently, with daily power outages and water shortages in soaring summer temperatures forcing much of the city to grind to a halt, while criminal activity shows no signs of abating.

With temperatures in the upper 30s and sometimes in the mid 40s, the severe shortage of all basic amenities has made life almost impossible. There have been days without water, although thankfully for the moment that is over. The Man Made River (MMR) company started to pump slowly again for homes in central Tripoli after six days of no water.What is not over are the electricity cuts. Outages have lasted between 14 to 20 hours a day, despite General Electricity of Libya (GECOL) saying they are only between five to ten hours daily. On top of this. there has been a fuel crisis with long queues at petrol stations as a result of panic because of militants in Zawia threatening to cut of fuel supplies to the capital.In the heat of the day, without electricity to power the air conditioners, or at night to light up homes and shops or watch television, it is one big misery – and that is quite apart from the kidnappings, the crimes, and the dangers of going out at night.

Click here to read the full article.