A state of emergency has been declared in Spain and Portugal after a massive power outage plunged millions into darkness, disrupting daily life and critical infrastructure across the Iberian Peninsula.
In Madrid, Spain, ground to a halt: subways stopped mid-track, traffic lights went dark, elevators stalled in high-rises, and mobile networks collapsed, leaving residents with no coverage. Emergency services struggled to respond as chaos unfolded across the city.
Authorities confirmed that the blackout affected most major urban centers, including Lisbon, Barcelona, Seville, and Porto. Airports reported significant disruptions, with flight delays and cancellations mounting due to compromised communication and navigation systems.
The Spanish and Portuguese governments quickly declared a state of emergency, activating military and civil defense units to assist in maintaining order, providing basic services, and supporting hospitals that had to rely solely on backup generators.
“The situation is unprecedented in scale,” said Spain’s Interior Minister María Jesús Montero. “We urge calm and cooperation as we work to restore power and investigate the root cause.”
While initial assessments pointed to a potential failure in a major cross-border transmission line, officials have not ruled out cyberattacks or sabotage, especially as widespread outages were also reported in parts of southern France and western Italy.
European leaders are closely monitoring the situation. The European Commission called for an emergency meeting to coordinate a continent-wide response, while neighboring countries prepared to dispatch technical teams to aid recovery efforts.
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Economic analysts warn that the blackout could have deep repercussions on an already fragile European economy, disrupting banking systems, industrial production, and supply chains.
For now, residents across Spain and Portugal are being urged to stay indoors, conserve mobile phone batteries, and avoid unnecessary travel until authorities can stabilize the situation.
As night falls and cities remain dark, Europe faces a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in its critical infrastructure — and the urgent need for resilience in an increasingly interconnected world.
