On Wednesday afternoon, significant cities such as Buenos Aires in Argentina experienced a blackout.

As reported by BBC News, the national electricity grid was hit by a fire which caused a widespread power outage, impacting over 50% of the country’s population.

The fire started in fields and damaged important power lines, resulting in a complete shutdown of a nuclear power plant.

Amidst a heatwave that has resulted in a drought in the area, Argentina is currently experiencing its summer months, with temperatures hovering at around 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

According to the National Meteorological Service, it’s reported to be the hottest summer on record in Buenos Aires since recording began in 1906.

However, the loss of power, coupled with the heat, has brought much of the region’s life to a halt.

As a result, classes have been cancelled, businesses closed, and many people are without access to air conditioning or refrigeration.

Approximately 150,000 people in the Buenos Aires area remain without power, but the energy ministry is optimistic that power will be restored promptly.

This isn’t the first time that Argentina has experienced a power outage, as in 2019, millions in the country and neighboring Uruguay were left without electricity due to a significant failure in the electrical interconnection system.

In 2020, a fire in a substation led to hundreds of thousands of homes in Buenos Aires being left without power.