Kathmandu, April 29
Spain and Portugal have declared a state of emergency following widespread power outages across both countries, according to CNN. The blackout has disrupted essential services, including traffic lights, rail operations, and airport functions, leaving tens of millions in difficulty.
While the cause of the outage remains unknown, the governments of both nations—home to a combined population of nearly 60 million—have begun emergency meetings to devise response strategies.
Portugal’s grid operator confirmed that the power failure occurred in the afternoon. Parts of France also experienced temporary blackouts, though power was restored within a few hours, AFP reported.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez acknowledged the outage but said the cause remained unclear and efforts to resolve the issue were ongoing.
Meanwhile, Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro officially declared an energy crisis. The country’s grid operator admitted that full restoration of power was proving to be complex.
“The impact is severe despite the cause remaining unclear,” CNN reported. “Public transport has come to a halt, and in Madrid, traffic jams were reported after traffic lights stopped working.”
European Council President and former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa said that although the exact reason is uncertain, there is currently no evidence pointing to a cyberattack.
