A major power outage, lasting for several hours, hit much of the Balkans on Friday, coinciding with an early heatwave that sent temperatures soaring to over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Almost the entire country of Montenegro was plunged into darkness due to a disruption in its power distribution system, while similar problems were reported in coastal Croatia, Bosnia, and Albania.
Nada Pavicevic, a spokesperson for Montenegro’s state power distribution company, described the outage as a “disturbance of regional proportion” and said authorities were still investigating the cause. While Bosnia’s state power company blamed problems in a regional distribution line, Albania’s attributed the outage to “extreme heat”.
The outage caused widespread disruption across the affected areas. In Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital, the lack of power led to traffic jams as trams ceased operation and traffic lights went dark. Similar gridlock was reported in Split, a major Adriatic Sea port. In Dubrovnik, a popular tourist destination in Croatia, thousands of visitors were stranded as restaurants, pubs, supermarkets, and ice cream shops closed their doors. Even soccer fans, hoping to watch games at the European Championship in Germany, were left with darkened televisions.
The power failure, which began shortly after noon on Friday, came amidst warnings from authorities throughout the region for citizens to exercise caution due to the extreme heat. Serbia’s Public Health Institute urged residents to avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight, particularly between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., and to carry water with them when venturing outdoors.
Meteorologists have attributed the unusually early heatwave to hot air currents originating from Africa, carrying sand particles that created a hazy layer in the sky. The sweltering temperatures were particularly harsh in major cities, where concrete surfaces intensified the heat even in the evenings, making nights offer little respite.
While hot summers are common in the Balkans, the intensity and timing of this heatwave, reaching such high temperatures in mid-June, prompted weather alerts and warnings. Earlier this week, North Macedonia implemented emergency measures due to the heat, expecting relief to arrive by Sunday.
Belgrade resident Milos Jeftovic expressed his concern about the situation, suggesting that authorities should have taken measures such as reducing working hours and providing water tankers in the city streets. He pointed out that while he personally had managed to cope, the temperatures were “above acceptable (levels)”.
Croatia, a popular tourist destination, also issued weather warnings as the heatwave was expected to peak on Friday before potential storms brought about a change in weather over the weekend. In Montenegro, residents of the capital, Podgorica, while accustomed to high temperatures, voiced concern about the early onset of the heatwave. One man, speaking to Montenegrin state television RTCG, expressed his uncertainty about how they would cope with the extreme conditions.
Experts emphasized that the extreme weather conditions, including the heatwave and its potential contribution to the power outage, are linked to climate change. This reinforces the need for effective strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change and prepare for future extreme weather events.
