Heatwave hits US power

Power supplies in the US are failing as the country struggles to cope with an extended heatwave.

With temperatures soaring, more people are relying on air conditioning to keep cool, but the increased demand has been too much for power grids in some areas, which have been overwhelmed by the drain on supplies, resulting in blackouts across the US.

The heatwave is believed to have claimed at least four lives in California already, where the mercury rose to as much as 50 degrees C (122 degrees Fahrenheit), and the demand for power led to the local grids cutting out, leaving many with no way to get out of the stifling heat.

On the opposite coast, many people in New York are still without electricity after violent storms last week downed power lines in the state. The storms followed a period of intense heat and temperatures are again on the rise in the region.

California is forecast to receive more hot weather this week and there are concerns that there could be more power outages as people return to work and office air conditioning systems put more strain on power supplies.

In Los Angeles, the LA Times reported that the region is already suffering one of its hottest heatwaves on record and it is believed that the hot conditions have caused the death of at least 20 people across the US.