I couldn't breathe': Melbourne residents endure 15-hour blackouts

No power, no airconditioning, record temperatures.

Nel Lloga: “I have heart problems, I couldn’t breathe.” 

That was the harsh reality faced by tens of thousands of Melburnians on Sunday night as the mercury soared and the power grid crumbled.

After tossing and turning throughout the night, many residents were throwing out a fridge-load of spoiled food come Monday morning.

But for others it was much more serious. The elderly and ill, especially those relying on life-saving machinery, were the most vulnerable.

Read Alexandra Alvaro’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “‘I couldn't breathe': Melbourne residents endure 15-hour blackouts.”