Over 842,000 US households face power outages on Independence Day

More than 842,000 households on Saturday were left without electricity due to extreme weather on Fourth of July, the US Independence Day.

According to the PowerOutage website, extreme heat affected the Midwest and Northeastern states.

The extreme temperatures also disrupted the 250th Independence Day celebrations in some parts of the country, with a parade planned for the morning in Washington, DC being canceled.

The Great American State Fair in the capital was also temporarily closed after many people were treated for heat-related illnesses.

Amtrak, which provides the country’s rail services, announced that it would cancel a number of train services due to extreme heat.

"Due to temperature-related conditions, Trains 88, 106, 107, 142, 159, 163, 666, 667, 694, and 695 are canceled in their entirety. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause," Amtrak said in a post on social media company X.

According to the US National Weather Service, more than 165 million people, especially on the East Coast and in the Midwest, were affected by record-breaking temperatures on Friday.

In some cities in the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, temperatures reached 39.5C on Friday, breaking all-time heat records.