After a massive blackout in Spain and Portugal, the light flickers back.

Lights out in Spain and Portugal:

On Tuesday, Spain and the Peninsula faced an electricity outage. People are stranded in elevators and trains and are left with no charging in their phones for hours. After several hours, the power supply got back. Lights also returned in Madrid and Lisbon.

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Reason for blackout:

Portugal’s Prime Minister said that the reason for power failure started from Spain. The reason for this failure is still unknown. However, social media predicts that the blackout is due to cyber attacks. Meanwhile, Spain’s Prime Minister said officials were still investigating all possible causes. He warned the public not to spread rumors when you have no adequate proof.

Countries scramble to recover:

In Spain, the Portuguese National Grid said it couldn’t confirm exactly when full restoration would happen. He, however, asked some workers to stay home. The blackout’s effects spilled over briefly into southern France and even disrupted internet and airport systems in parts of Morocco.

Chaos in the cities:

Due to the blackout, the cities faced chaos. In Madrid, people were left in complete confusion. Metro systems stopped, mobile phones lost signal, and communication lines went silent. Streets filled with confused crowds. People were desperate to find call service. In Madrid alone, emergency teams carried out nearly 300 rescue operations to free people trapped in elevators.

Transport paralyzed:

Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente reported that while some high-speed routes like Madrid–Barcelona and Madrid–Valencia resumed operations, they were still facing delays by the next morning. Spain’s nuclear power plants were shut down automatically as a safety measure. Emergency diesel generators were activated to keep the facilities in stable condition.

Economic and Digital Impact:

The blackout proved fatal for the country’s economy. It shut down the digital system hard. The internet took a massive hit. A global internet monitoring site said Spain’s internet usage dropped to just 17% of its normal level. Hospitals had to switch to backup generators, though some departments were still affected.