Severe power outages in Spain and Portugal forced hospitals to rely on generators, halted public transport, and suspended key events like the Madrid Open, as officials rushed to restore electricity.
Power Outages Plunge Spain and Portugal into Darkness
Power Outages Plunge Spain and Portugal into Darkness
Major blackouts disrupt everyday life across the Iberian Peninsula, affecting millions.
On a chaotic Monday, tens of millions of residents in Spain and Portugal found their daily routines shattered by unprecedented power outages that lasted for hours. The blackouts plunged cities into darkness, with hospitals operating on emergency generators, trains halted in their tracks, and supermarkets forced to close their doors.
By the evening, power restoration efforts showed progress in parts of Spain, but many citizens remained in the dark, anxiously awaiting the return of electricity. Authorities scrambled to diagnose and repair the underlying issues before sunset, eager to minimize the disruption.
In Spain, scenes from affected areas told a harrowing story. In Córdoba, passengers abandoned a halted high-speed train, while in Pamplona, medical staff were seen relocating patients as hospitals struggled without power. Madrid saw significant disruption, with long queues at bus stops and subway stations rendered inoperable. Compounding the chaos, traffic snarled as stoplights failed, prompting public workers to manage the intersections manually.
Video footage captured stranded travelers at Atocha train station, sitting amongst their luggage in frustration. Matches at the Madrid Open were abruptly suspended on what marked the seventh day of the tournament, serving as another reminder of the widespread impact. Security personnel engaged with confused bystanders outside darkened metro stations as construction workers and shop employees waited for the return of power.
Meanwhile, in Lisbon, diners faced the peculiar sight of enjoying meals in darkened restaurants, while others relied on their phone lights to navigate grocery stores. Cais do Sodré train station remained eerily empty, and bus stops throughout the city saw growing lines as residents attempted to join the rush for transportation.
As the Iberian Peninsula works to recover from this major blackout, the events serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of modern infrastructure and the ripple effects of such disruptions on everyday life.
