ZIMBABWE CITIES HIT BY POWER CUTS!

By Peter Biles - BBC Southern Africa correspondent.

Large parts of Zimbabwe are reported to be without electricity after a major power failure on Saturday night. The blackout has affected the capital, Harare, the city of Bulawayo, and smaller towns including Victoria Falls, Kariba, Masvingo and Gweru. Services like mains water and telecommunications have been affected.

Zimbabwe is in the midst of an economic crisis and has been experiencing difficulties with power supplies for some time. As a result of the blackout, mains water pressure has dropped, mobile phone connections have been adversely affected and newspapers have not been published.

The government has so far given no reason for the power failure, but this apparent breakdown is just the latest in a series of problems facing the authorities in recent months.

Electricity supplies in Harare have been erratic at best, with the power often switched off for many hours a day. Zimbabwe imports much of its electricity from neighbouring countries.

But as the economic crisis has worsened, there has been a shortage of foreign currency with which to pay for supplies.
BBC NEWS REPORT.