Airport Flight Services Also Halted
Power was lost at Madrid’s Barajas International Airport, while flight services at other airports in the region were also disrupted. According to Euronews Portugal, Spain and Portugal’s metro systems experienced significant disruptions, with many passengers trapped inside trains in tunnels as services came to a sudden halt between stations. According to RTVE, Spain’s public broadcaster, the blackout began at 12:30 pm local time, affecting key institutions such as the Spanish Parliament, metro stations, and the RTVE newsroom. Residents in Barcelona and surrounding cities were reporting the blackout on their WhatsApp groups.
Parts of France Also Affected
Portugal also experienced power failures in Lisbon and other areas, as well as in its northern and southern regions. Portuguese distributor E-Redes attributed it to a “problem in the European electricity system” and stated that power had to be cut in some areas to stabilise the network. Parts of France were also affected.
The Outage Disrupted Numerous Services
Mobile phone networks went down for voice calls, although some messaging apps remained functional. In Lisbon, the subway stopped, and traffic lights in the city centre also failed, causing traffic chaos. Authorities have not yet stated how many people were affected and how long it will take to fully restore services.
