Iraq declares Thursday an official holiday due to heatwave

Iraq's government has announced that tomorrow will be an official holiday due to a scorching heatwave.

In a brief statement today, the Iraqi Cabinet said temperatures already have exceeded 50 degrees Celsius in some provinces.

Meteorological officials warned of a heat wave in central and southern Iraq starting today through Friday. The heat wave comes as Muslims are practicing dawn-to-dusk fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.

Such heatwaves in Iraq add to the population's hardships as the country suffers from a lack of electricity.

To cope with high temperatures, Iraqis either stay indoors or swim in rivers. In some public places, showers are set up for those who want to cool down.