Major power outages hit parts of Portugal and Spain this afternoon. “I urge everyone to stop moving around unless absolutely necessary and stay where they are if possible,” Madrid Mayor Luis Martinez Almeida said in a video message on Facebook and Twitter. “We want all roads to be clean and passable.”
The mayor said that since the power went out, traffic lights were not working. Some highway channels were also closed. He added that police and firefighters were on standby in case of emergency.
The power outage has caused various problems for people. Notable among these are the suspension of train services, the closure of metro stations, traffic chaos, disruption of mobile networks, and the closure of markets and restaurants.
Banking operations are being disrupted due to lack of internet connectivity, and people are unable to withdraw money. Live programs are being canceled. Traffic lights are out of order.
The power outage has also brought up personal experiences. A schoolteacher said that since there is no electricity and the internet connection is down, students are unable to take online classes and are struggling to find information.
A resident said that he was shopping when the power suddenly went out. A tourist in Lisbon said that he had come to ride the metro, but the metro stopped due to the power outage. He later had to look for a taxi.
Spain’s electricity grid operator said that it is trying to restore power in the north and south to normalize the situation. Work is also underway to restore power in Portugal.