Spain Declares State of Emergency Following Massive Power Outage

Spain Declares State of Emergency Following Massive Power Outage

Spain's Interior Ministry declared a state of emergency on Monday after a massive power blackout hit much of the Iberian Peninsula. 

The outage, which occurred shortly after 10:30 a.m. GMT, caused widespread disruption across Spain and Portugal, affecting major services such as trains, phone signals, and traffic lights. 

Panic buying was reported in stores as the power failure continued.

The emergency status will be activated in regions that formally request it. Madrid, Andalusia, and Extremadura have already asked the central government to take over public order and other responsibilities. Major cities like Madrid, Lisbon, Barcelona, Seville, and Valencia were severely impacted, with people trapped in lifts and metro stations, and evacuations occurring in rail and underground networks. Traffic congestion in central Madrid surged due to non-functioning traffic lights.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez explained that the blackout was caused by a "strong oscillation" in the European power grid, though the exact cause is still under investigation. He urged the public to avoid speculation and contact emergency services only when necessary.