Watch: People Que Up to Buy Radios in Madrid as Power Outage Brings Modern Life to Halt

Madrid: As Europe witnessed one of its worst power failures in decades, streets in Spain and Portugal were filled not just with darkness—but with queues. Long lines formed outside radio and candle shops, as people scrambled to find alternative ways to communicate and cope, after an unexpected power grid collapse brought life to a sudden halt on Monday. From disrupted metro systems and cancelled flights to hospitals halting services, the blackout highlighted just how deeply modern life depends on electricity.

Long Queues for Radio 

In cities like Madrid and Lisbon, people rushed to buy portable radios, candles, and batteries. Shops ran out of stock within hours. “Just thinking about ways of communicating, I suddenly thought that radio was the only thing that could work,” said Vicente Navarro, a local musician speaking to AFP, as he stood in line outside a store.

The blackout knocked out Wi-Fi, mobile networks, and public transport. 

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What failed: Metro, Hospitals, Flights

The power outage disrupted nearly every essential service. Metros stopped working, leaving thousands stranded in tunnels and at stations. Hospitals were forced to delay non-emergency procedures, depending solely on backup generators. Flights were delayed or cancelled, especially in major airports like Madrid and Barcelona. Traffic signals stopped working, causing widespread gridlock.

According to Spain’s electricity operator REE, more than 82% of the power has been restored across the country. Portugal’s grid operator REN reported a similar recovery rate of around 80%. However, both countries are still working to stabilise the grid fully.

In Spain, a state of emergencywas declared late Monday night to mobilise resources and ensure essential services resumed.

What Caused the Blackout? 

Officials believe the power cut originated in Spain due to what REN called a "rare atmospheric phenomenon." According to experts, a sudden drop in temperatures created sharp thermal fluctuations in the air, which caused instability in Spain’s high-voltage transmission lines.

This phenomenon is referred to as “induced atmospheric variation”, which led to anomalous oscillations in the electrical grid, triggering widespread automatic shutdowns as a safety measure.

Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said Spain's grid failure spilled over into Portuguese territory, affecting thousands of homes and services.

A Warning About Dependence on Power

Experts say this massive outage is a reminder of just how vulnerable modern life is to disruptions in electricity. From travel and healthcare to communication and entertainment, nearly everything depends on uninterrupted power.

(Inputs from AFP)