The ongoing heat wave across the country has caused risk of load-shedding and power outages are expected in the capital Malé region, says State Electric Company (STELCO).

STELCO said in a statement on Monday that their load-shedding process will cause outages, although not for longer than one hour at a stretch.

In its statement, the state-run company apologized for the ‘inconvenience’ and advised the public to refrain from using equipment or devises with high power consumption.

STELCO, which supplies power to Malé and islands near it, implements brownouts and load-shedding measures to tackle excessive pressure on their systems.

Heatwaves have been sweeping across the Indian Ocean and countries near the subcontinent.

The Maldivian Health Protection Agency in late March advised safety measures, asking the public to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, to keep hydrated, and ‘opt for fitness engagements indoors’.