After days of temperatures consistently exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104°F), residents in the northern Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez sought relief from extreme heat on Friday (July 31).

The Civil Protection Agency in Ciudad Juarez reportedly issued a preventive heat advisory effective from July 27 through August 1, announcing that highs of 39 to 41 degrees Celsius and lows of 27 to 28 degrees Celsius were expected. According to the weather forecast for Friday, a high of around 42 °C was expected, while on Thursday (July 30), highs reached around 41 °C.

Children cooled off in public fountains at the city's Central Park while authorities deployed water trucks to distribute water amid the sweltering conditions. Residents said this summer has brought some of the most intense heat they can remember in the desert city across the border from El Paso, Texas.

The high temperatures have increased pressure on electricity infrastructure, with outages affecting some households that depend on air conditioning and refrigeration to cope with the heat.

Affected residents told Reuters prolonged outages have led to spoiled food and raised concerns over the health of elderly residents, children and people who rely on refrigerated medication.

Among those affected was resident Norma Ramirez, who said she had been without electricity since the previous morning and was worried about storing her insulin safely.

"Everything we had has spoiled," Ramirez said. "I have insulin, I need to keep my insulin refrigerated. I am very sick and this heat is making me feel much worse."

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

CIUDAD JUAREZ, CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO (JULY 30, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF CHILDREN PLAYING IN PUBLIC FOUNTAIN

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESIDENT, HENRY ROBLEDO, SAYING:

"It is so hot. The heat is unbearable. At home the steam, the air, the stuffiness all builds up, so we come here to cool off for a while at the fountains of the park. I brought my kids so they can have fun and at the same time forget a little about the heat back home, where neither the air conditioning, nor anything is enough."

CIUDAD JUAREZ, CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO (JULY 31, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

3. VARIOUS OF WATER TRUCK DISTRIBUTING WATER

4. VARIOUS OF CHILDREN NEAR WATER CONTAINERS

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESIDENT, YESENIA MUNOZ, SAYING:

"This year there has been too much heat here in Juarez. I have been here for 40 years, it is the first year we have gone through this situation of so much heat."

6. VARIOUS OF RESIDENTS UPSET OVER LACK OF ELECTRICITY

7. ELECTRICITY POLE

8. RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY POWER OUTAGE GATHERING UNDER TREE SHADE

9. VARIOUS OF RESIDENTS TALKING TO POLICE ABOUT OUTAGE

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESIDENT, CLAUDIA OROPEZA, SAYING:

"Unfortunately we are going through a very serious power outage. We are suffering very high temperatures, we have many children and elderly people who are suffering dehydration. Some people have high blood pressure, they have diabetes, their medications are going bad because they need refrigeration. The condiments, the food, everything is spoiling in the refrigerators. People cannot sleep because the heat is awful and as the days go by we are suffering even more extreme heat."

11. ELDERLY RESIDENT NORMA RAMIREZ

12. RAMIREZ SHOWING HER MEDICATION

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESIDENT, NORMA RAMIREZ, SAYING:

"And since yesterday morning we have no power, everything we had has already spoiled. I have my insulin, I need to store my insulin, and I am very sick and this heat is making me very ill."

14. RAMIREZ INSIDE HER HOUSE WITH SPOILED GROCERIES DUE TO POWER OUTAGE

CIUDAD JUAREZ, CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO (JULY 30, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

15. VARIOUS OF FAMILY WALKING IN SUN WITH UMBRELLAS