Nationwide blackout leaves Spain in disarray: no electricity, no mobile service, and no public transport functioning.
Rewritten Article:
In the heart of Spain and Portugal, millions of lives took an unexpected halt on a typical day. A massive power outage tossed millions into chaos, littering the streets with disoriented strangers and idle machinery.
Our Sancho Fernández, found himself just like countless others, stranded on a Madrid metro, as the power failed, abruptly ending his journey. "The lights flickered out, and the train came to a stop," he told reporters outside a metro station. "It's eerie, something never happening in Spain before. I can't call my family, no internet coverage, can't even get to work."
At Cibeles Square, one of Madrid's busiest intersections, a racket of sirens, whistles, and car horns boomed as traffic lights malfunctioned. Desperate police attempts to keep vehicles moving proved futile. The streets were flooded with bewildered office workers, their computers rendered useless by the loss of connectivity, alongside residents, thankful they didn't get trapped in elevators.
Marina Sierra, a 16-year-old school student, found herself trapped in a smoke-filled building that needed immediate evacuation. "My dad couldn't be reached, and I had to figure out a way home. It's shocking to see everything spiraling out of control," she mentioned.
Writhing through the city streets, long lines formed for bus routes as an alternative means of transport. "I have no clue when I'll finally get home," groaned Rosario Pena, a 39-year-old fast-food worker, watching the packed buses whiz by without stopping.
Across the metropolis, establishments offering steep discounts on food and drinks lured the weary travelers, sensing their desperation. "Oysters and a glass of wine for only 5 euros, pay with cash," read a cardboard sign at one street corner, while an ice cream shop, Dolce Fina, started giving out free scoops—quickly forming a lengthy queue.
A similar scene unfolded in Barcelona, where residents and tourists swarmed the streets, frantic to gather information about the unfolding situation. Laia Montserrat, a student stuck in her school, found herself juggling between resuming her presentation and figuring out her way home. "Data services weren't restored, so they sent us back home. But railway services were at a halt too."
Away from the tourist-crowded plazas, apprehensive Leonor Abecasis, a Portuguese consultant, huddled in a store plunged into darkness, her return flight to Lisbon later that day looming uncertainly.
Pilar Lopez, a 53-year-old administration officer from Madrid, was remarkably philosophical amid the widespread confusion and fear. "We suffered through a pandemic; I don't think this power outage is any worse. It's just another lesson to learn, a reminder to not be overly dependent on electricity. Sometimes, we have to rely on the simpler, more 'analogue' ways of functioning. My mobile wasn't working, and I couldn't pay. Today, we saw that," Lopez stated.
The power outage's aftermath was an unsettling glimpse into the potential fragilities inherent in daily life. Transportation systems faltered, communication lines diminished, and commerce ground to a halt across both countries. Hospitals relied on backup generators to maintain critical care, while emergency services attrited trapped parties from metro stations and train derailments.
The widespread mayhem came following a series of Europe-wide synchronization failures caused by atmospheric-induced vibrations within Spain's high-voltage grid. The extent and timeline of recovery remained unclear as of late April 28.
© 2025 AFP
- Stranded passengers on Madrid's metro, including Sancho Fernández, felt disorientated when a massive power outage left them without internet or phone coverage, unable to contact their families or continue their journeys.
- The chaos at Cibeles Square, one of Madrid's busiest intersections, was exacerbated as traffic lights malfunctioned, causing accidents and general-news havoc as desperate police attempts to manage the situation proved useless.
- A stranded 16-year-old school student, Marina Sierra, found herself stuck in a smoke-filled building that needed immediate evacuation, unable to reach her father and unsure how to find her way home during the power outage.
