Massive Blackout Cripples Spain and Portugal's Daily Life

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

A sweeping power outage hit Spain and Portugal on Monday, disabling cell networks and internet, halting trains, and trapping individuals in lifts. Officials quickly mobilized to determine the root of this immense blackout, as both nations struggled with the sudden disruption.

 

Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez sought updates at the state electricity operator’s headquarters, while the network, Red Electrica, warned of a prolonged recovery.

 

Social media captured scenes of Madrid and Barcelona immersed in darkness, with stranded metro trains and offices relying on mobile lights for visibility. Traffic chaos ensued as motorists were advised to stop driving due to non-functional traffic lights, prompting police interventions at intersections. Citizens were spotted resorting to smartphones, trying to maintain communication amid the digital freeze.

 

Portugal also endured the blackout, with REN confirming widespread impacts across the Iberian Peninsula. Electrical incidents spilled over into southwest France but were swiftly rectified. Responses from European grid operators indicated efforts to pinpoint the disruption's cause, with the European Commission seeking clarity on the matter.

 

 

 

Spain's railway stopped country-wide operations, while flights faced delays though airports remained active thanks to contingency systems. Red Electrica reported partial power restoration in northern and southern regions but cautioned that challenges persisted.

 

The blackout immobilized communications significantly, with connectivity dropping to just 17% of normal, per Netblocks. Media outlets illuminated the crisis, revealing halted metros, hand-directed traffic, and journalists operating in darkened environments.

 

Despite the chaos, critical services in hospitals sustained operations owing to backup generators. History points to similar blackouts globally, with nations like Tunisia, Sri Lanka, and others having faced severe outages in recent years.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-04-29

 

 

[Tug]

Hope they get it squared away soon sounds like a real mess.It will be interesting to see what happen.

[Cryingdick]

Run everything on solar and then dim the sun to fight global warming.

[blaze master]

1 hour ago, Tug said:

Hope they get it squared away soon sounds like a real mess.It will be interesting to see what happen.

 

My friend posted this update on his instabook.

 

 

[johng]

1 hour ago, Cryingdick said:

Run everything on solar and then dim the sun to fight global warming.

That actually seems to be their plan

couldn't be more absurd.

[blaze master]

9 minutes ago, johng said:

That actually seems to be their plan

couldn't be more absurd.

 

We see all.