Spain has entered a state of emergency after a massive power outage plunged the country into darkness, bringing transportation to a halt, crippling airports, and sparking widespread panic-buying. The Spanish Interior Ministry confirmed the measure late Monday night, stating that the emergency designation will apply in any region that formally requests it.
The blackout, described as one of the worst in Spain’s modern history, has left millions without electricity, prompting long queues outside grocery stores, gas stations, and banks as residents and tourists scrambled to buy essentials and withdraw cash.
The government has deployed 30,000 national police officers to maintain public order across the country. In major cities like Madrid, Seville, and Barcelona, road networks became gridlocked as traffic lights failed and communication networks faltered.
Trains, subways, and metro lines in both Spain and neighboring Portugal were halted, leaving commuters stranded inside tunnels and on railways. Emergency services were seen evacuating passengers, some of whom had been stuck underground for hours.
Airports were similarly thrown into chaos, with dozens of flights delayed or cancelled. Portugal’s national airline, TAP Air, has advised passengers to avoid traveling to Spain or through its own international terminals until further notice.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez addressed the nation in a televised speech, stating that while 60% of the country’s power has been restored, the cause of the outage remains unknown. Authorities are investigating possible technical failures or external cyber threats, though no evidence has been confirmed.
“For the time being, there’s no evidence of any civil protection problems. I repeat, there are no problems of insecurity,” Sánchez said, urging citizens to follow official government channels for updates and avoid spreading unverified information.
Portugal’s acting Prime Minister, Luis Montenegro, confirmed the blackout also affected large parts of his country. However, Portugal’s full recovery may be slower due to its reliance on domestic energy infrastructure, unlike Spain which benefits from cross-border energy contributions from France and Morocco.
Regions including Madrid, Andalusia, and Extremadura have formally requested central government control over public services as local authorities become overwhelmed by public response and logistical challenges.
This blackout comes amid Europe’s growing concerns about energy resilience and infrastructure vulnerabilities, particularly in the face of rising geopolitical tensions and cyber threats.
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