Extensive power outages have swept through substantial regions of Spain and Portugal, plunging traffic lights into darkness and creating chaos in travel hotspots. In Spain, the blackout has completely halted all rail services, while in Portugal, officials are cautioning residents to avoid non-essential travel due to the looming threat of traffic signal failures.
Efforts to restore electricity are actively underway. The Spanish power grid operator, Red Electrica, has indicated that it might take anywhere from six to ten hours for power to be fully reinstated. The underlying cause of the massive outage still remains unknown.