Venezuela will have four hours of power cuts per day from next week due to the energy crisis in the country, the government of Venezuela announced on Friday.
Luis Motta Dominguez, the energy minister of Venezuela called on citizens to support the country during this troubling time.
According to Dominguez, the cuts will be instigated for 40 days while the country battles with a lack of hydroelectric output due to a drought hitting the country's Guri Dam, in eastern Venezuela which provides most of the country's electricity.
President Nicolas Maduro also made Friday a public holiday for workers and on April 6 said that he will shift the country's time zone to help ease the crisis.
As a suggestion to reduce electricity consumption, Maduro asked that women stop using hair dryers to dry their hair and to avoid ironing clothes.
The Venezuelan government claims the crisis erupted due to the drought caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon.
El Nino is a climatic condition associated with a band of warm ocean water that develops in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific Ocean.
By Murat Temizer
Anadolu Agency
murat.temizer@aa.com.tr