Africa Press-Nigeria:
The United States National Weather Service has recorded the highest temperature on Earth- 130 F (54.4C), in Death Valley National Park, California.
This comes amid a heatwave on the US west coast, where temperatures are expected to rise further this week.
The current heatwave stretches from Arizona in the south-west, up the coast to Washington state in the north-west.
It is expected to hit its peak on Monday and Tuesday, before temperatures start to drop later in the week.
However, the sweltering heat will continue for at least another 10 days.
The scorching conditions have led to two days of blackouts in California, after a power plant malfunctioned on Saturday.
California’s Independent System Operator (CISO), which manages the state’s power, has declared a Stage 3 Emergency, which occurs “when demand [for electricity] begins to outpace supply”.
Because so much of the region’s power relies on solar and wind energy, and because people use their electricity for air conditioning, during heatwaves the power grid becomes strained and is at risk of completely malfunctioning.
In order to manage the state’s demand for power and prevent a complete shutdown, officials are using scheduled rolling blackouts to control and conserve energy.
