Six regions in southern Algeria have been classified as some of the hottest in the world by meteorological observation centers, as reported on Wednesday. This classification leads their inhabitants to adopt specific routines to shield themselves from sunstroke, whether in terms of nutrition or timings for outdoor activities and work.
The global weather monitoring centers have identified ten countries that recorded record temperatures reaching 49.5 degrees Celsius in the shade. The Adrar region ranked first globally at 49.5 degrees, while the In Salah region was third at 48.8 degrees, Timimoun was fourth at 48.7 degrees, and Ouargla was fifth at 48.6 degrees. Hassi Messaoud ranked eighth at 48.2 degrees and Béni Abbes tenth at 48.1 degrees.
The temperatures recorded are familiar to residents of these areas in summer, having lived with them for decades, shaping their lifestyle according to the seasons. When temperatures rise, they adopt a series of measures to protect themselves from potential sunstrokes, differing their routine from that of residents in other regions of the country.
In the Adrar province (southwest, 1500 kilometers from the capital Algiers), Murad (33) told "Al Arabiya.net": "People think we (the southern residents) have become accustomed to the high heat here, but believe me, one cannot cope with it unless you stay at home and turn on the air conditioning. We usually avoid going out between noon and sunset when the temperature peaks, and even I, as a grocery seller, close my shop because no one comes."
Salwa (21), a university student, said: "We don’t attend classes from June onwards, which is good, but for us women, we might not go out for weeks or even months due to the conservative nature of the environment, and also because we have no work outside. In the house, we cannot turn off the air conditioning during the day, and when the electricity goes out, we suffer a lot."
Regarding nutrition, Souhaila (35), a housewife, stated: "We drink a lot of water when temperatures rise, and we don’t consume traditional foods as in other seasons. We only rely on light dishes like salad or even bread with yogurt and dates."
The authorities have set working hours in the southern provinces: Adrar, Tamanrasset, Illizi, Tindouf, Béchar, Ouargla, Ghardaïa, Laghouat, Biskra, and Ouargla, as follows: from 7 AM to 12 PM, and from 12:30 PM to 3 PM, with a half-hour break between 12 PM and 12:30 PM, which is considered a working period to determine actual work duration. This also applies to the ten newly established provinces.
