Spain and Portugal suffered a major power outage on Monday, affecting millions and disrupting airports, metros, and telecom services.
Parts of France, Andorra, and possibly Belgium were also impacted.
The cause is unclear, but possible reasons include a European grid failure or fire damage to a key power line in southern France.
IMAGE: People sit in candlelight and use mobile phone flashlights in the dark during a nationwide power outage at Plaza Mayor square in Madrid, Spain, April 28. Photograph: Susana Vera/Reuters
IMAGE: People use flashlights as they walk in the dark during a nationwide power outage in Madrid, Spain, April 28, 2025. Photograph: Susana Vera/Reuters
IMAGE: A restaurant cook works in a dark kitchen with the aid of the phone's flashlight during a power outage in Madrid, Spain, April 28, 2025. Photograph: Susana Vera/Reuters
IMAGE: A transmission tower near Barcelona, Spain, April 28, 2025. Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters
IMAGE: A woman uses her cell phone's flashlight in the dark after the Madrid Open tennis matches get suspended due to a power outage, Madrid, April 28, 2025. Photograph: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters
IMAGE: Jose Maria Casais, 72, a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), uses a torch to eat at his house in Barcelona, Spain April 28, 2025. Photograph: Nacho Doce/Reuters
IMAGE: A waiter removes a table from the terrace of a restaurant that closed due a power outage which hit large parts of Spain, in Barcelona, Spain, April 28, 2025. Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters
IMAGE: People use their phones and head torches to buy groceries inside the supermarket during the blackout in Barcelona, Spain, April 28, 2025. Photograph: Bruna Casas/Reuters
IMAGE: A man lies on the ground as a power outage hits large parts of Spain, in Valencia, Spain, April 28, 2025. Photograph: Eva Manez/Reuters
IMAGE: Members of the Red Cross move a man on a stretcher at Joaquin Sorolla train station, as a power outage hit large parts of Spain, in Valencia, Spain, April 28, 2025. Photograph: Eva Manez/Reuters
IMAGE: People fix the shopfront shutter of a pharmacy at Joaquin Sorolla train station, as a power outage hit large parts of Spain, in Valencia, Spain, April 28, 2025. Photograph: Eva Manez/Reuters
IMAGE: General view of Barcelona during a power outage which hit large parts of Spain, April 28, 2025. Photograph: Nacho Doce/Reuters
IMAGE: People rest on the stairs at Atocha train station during a power outage, in Madrid, Spain, April 28, 2025. Photograph: Ana Beltran/Reuters
IMAGE: People wait with their luggage outside the Atocha train station during a power outage, in Madrid, Spain, April 28, 2025. Photograph: Ana Beltran/Reuters
IMAGE: A long line of tourists wait for the shuttle buses to transport them to the airport during the blackout in Barcelona, Spain, April 28, 2025. Photograph: Bruna Casas/Reuters
IMAGE: Members of the Red Cross load water bottles on trolleys near Joaquin Sorolla station, as a power outage hits large parts of Spain, in Valencia, Spain, April 28, 2025. Photograph: Eva Manez/Reuters
IMAGE: Tourists from China connect their phones to the WiFi of generator hostel during a power outage which hit large parts of Spain, in Barcelona, Spain April 28, 2025. Photograph: Nacho Doce/Reuters
IMAGE: People arrive at Estacio de Sants during the blackout in Barcelona, Spain April 29, 2025. Photograph: Bruna Casas/Reuters
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/ Rediff.com
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