Spain-Portugal power cuts: Blackouts cause transport chaos across both countries
Cities including Madrid, Seville, Barcelona and Valenica have been left without the internet and electricity, sparking travel mayhem at their airports.
Parts of Madrid’s underground network has also been evacuated, and traffic lights are not working in the city.
Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE said a major power outage hit several regions of the country at around 12:30 pm local time, leaving its newsroom in the dark.
The country’s railway operator, Renfe, added that the “entire National Electricity Grid was cut off” and that trains were unable to depart from stations.
Spain’s electricity grid operator Red Electrica has confirmed power outages across the country and said “all resources are being dedicated to solving it”.
Meanwhile in Portugal, the outage hit the capital, Lisbon, and surrounding areas, as well as northern and southern parts of the country.
E-Redes, a Spanish electricity grid monitoring company, said in a statement it was working on reestablishing connection in phases.
“This is a wider European problem,” it added.
We’re looking to hear from people who have been affected by the power outages ongoing in Portugal or Spain.
“Due to a general power outage affecting mainland Spain and Portugal today, we are monitoring potential disruption to flights operating to/from all airports in mainland Spain and Portugal.
“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this power outage, which is outside of our control.”
The Mayor of Madrid has asked people not to travel during the blackout
Madrid’s mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida has warned residents to keep put as the city has been affected by a power outage.
“I ask all residents of Madrid to keep their movements to an absolute minimum and, if at all possible, to remain where they are. We want to keep all roads clear,” he said in a video posted on social media.
The mayor also asked residents to only call emergency services if it is “truly urgent.”
“If emergency calls go unanswered, go to the police and the fire stations in person, where they will try to deal with all the emergencies which may present themselves.”
Footage shows transport chaos in Lisbon after a huge power cut hit parts of Portugal and Spain on Monday (28 April).
Traffic came to a standstill in the capital, sparking travel chaos on the road and train network.
Cities including Madrid, Seville, Barcelona and Valenica have also been left without the internet and electricity, sparking travel mayhem at their airports.
Spain’s electricity grid operator Red Electrica has confirmed power outages across the country and said “all resources are being dedicated to solving it”.
Power has returned to my rented apartment in Malaga
Raphael Sheridan
Reporting from Malaga
I’m currently in staying in an apartment in Malaga – some bars and restaurants here have stayed open here benefiting from the glorious weather.
At 15.43 local time (14.43 BST), the apartment’s oven and washing machine suddenly started chirping, and a man on the street below me whooped.
Power has, it seems, returned to Malaga.
For about an hour I had been without phone service or internet – and therefore completely cut-off from the world – which contributed an uneasiness to an otherwise sunny, peaceful day.
The hope here is that the lights now stay on.