The impact of a sudden and massive blackout that swept Spain on Monday continued to ripple through daily life even as power was restored across the country the next morning.
In Madrid, the immediate effects were visible when traffic lights across the city simultaneously stopped working, leading to chaos on the roads. Metro services in Madrid and Barcelona were also brought to a standstill, leaving thousands of passengers trapped inside tunnels. Many shops have implemented temporary closure measures.
On Tuesday morning, nearly every major Spanish newspaper featured the blackout on its front page. La Razon made a striking statement with an all-black cover and a single, bold headline: "Total Chaos."
In central Madrid, newsstand owner Jose described how the outage abruptly halted business and left him concerned about his family's wellbeing.
"Our sales were definitely affected, especially digital payments that rely on electricity. With no power, we couldn't process any transactions. Dinner last night was just cold food, like salad. What worried me most was my kids. I only relaxed after I got in touch with them. After dark, we lit candles and used a battery-powered lamp," said Jose.
For tourists, the sudden blackout turned into a nightmare.
"I couldn't get any taxis or Uber. They had no service. We had no cash. We had to queue for an hour to get cash out of a money exchange. We had to eat crisps for tea because we couldn't get to a restaurant anywhere. The traffic was really bad. None of the traffic lights were working. Police were everywhere. So, it was a bit chaotic for them. By like 11 PM, it was all fine again," said Anna, a visitor in Madrid from the UK.
The outage left Madrid feeling like a city from another era -- without phones, internet, or even light. The experience prompted many residents to reconsider their emergency preparedness.
"We need to adapt and stay calm, and always keep some cash at home, plus a radio, you know, the old kind. Yesterday, we depended entirely on the radio to know what was going on," said Montse, a Madrid local.
Spain's national grid operator has ruled out a cyberattack, but Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that no possibility is off the table as the government launches a full-scale investigation into the power failure.
As the massive blackout also swept Portugal on Monday, Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said on Tuesday that Portugal is calling on the European Union to establish an independent committee to investigate the power systems of countries affected by Monday's large-scale blackout, in order to determine the cause of the outage.
At a press conference following a government meeting, Montenegro said that Portugal needs an urgent and swift answer.
Spain reels from nationwide blackout
Spain reels from nationwide blackout
Spain reels from nationwide blackout
