Tunisia's Djerba Island Endures Record 46°C Heat Wave

During a two‑week vacation on Djerba, temperatures repeatedly rose above 40 °C, peaking at a record 46 °C, while nighttime lows stayed above 30 °C and humidity reached 78 %. The extreme heat strained the island’s power grid, causing repeated, unannounced electricity cuts and, in some areas, water supply interruptions. A hotel’s backup generator kept lights and phone charging alive but could not run air‑conditioning, leaving rooms unbearably hot. Tourists suffered severe dehydration, heat‑induced exhaustion and constant circulatory stress, drinking up to five litres of water daily and experiencing nausea after physical activity. The conditions turned a family holiday into a physically taxing ordeal.