Power outages and lack of gas forcing Uzbeks to take refuge in cars

Social network users are sharing stories of the difficulties they are facing in the cold.

One footage, filmed supposedly in Andijan, shows how a man is sitting in the car with his months-old baby turning on the heating system. He says the gas supply was cut off and their home had gone all cold.

This is not the first case. Similar reports were circulated on social networks earlier as well.

Weather forecasters said just today that the cold days are only coming. However, the country’s energy system is not ready to provide the population with basic heating means – electricity and gas.

In many regions of Uzbekistan, electricity has been cut off, there is almost no gas or the pressure is too low. Some entrepreneurs are closing businesses due to lack of electricity, hospitals are cold, surgeries are conducted using mobile phone flashlights.

The Ministry of Energy earlier asked the population to approach the matter “with understanding”. The ministry said the power outages are the result of increased demand for electricity and the lack of gas to produce energy. 

Many are accusing the officials of the ministry of not taking necessary measures ahead of the cold season, but they know accusing them is useless. “They don’t care,” people say.