The Tunisian National Institute of Meteorology announced that the summer of 2026 is the hottest in Tunisia since 1950, amid frequent interruptions of electricity and drinking water.
The institute stated in a statement that included a seasonal bulletin on the "Facebook" platform, which was reviewed by the "News Video Agency," that "the summer of 2026 is classified as the hottest in Tunisia since 1950, with a difference of +2.9 degrees compared to the climate average for the period 1991–2020."
The institute confirmed that the season experienced severe and prolonged heat waves, with an expanding geographical scope, and these are among the harshest recorded heat waves in the country since 1950, both in terms of intensity and duration.
The country also recorded an "exceptional and ongoing" rise in nighttime temperatures, with the highest temperature reaching 49.7 degrees Celsius in the Kairouan governorate during last July.
Scientists link periods of extreme and prolonged heat to climate change in particular, and the high temperatures have affected electricity and drinking water supplies, leading authorities to resort to frequent power cuts throughout the day due to a shortage of energy production.
Water has been cut off in several areas, causing damage to many commercial sectors and increasing citizens' dissatisfaction.
The "Tunisian Company for Electricity and Gas" (governmental) attributed the increasing energy consumption to the heavy use of air conditioners and fans inside homes.