A massive and mysterious power outage swept across Spain and Portugal on Monday, plunging millions into chaos and leaving entire cities in eerie darkness.

The unprecedented blackout, which also struck parts of southern France, crippled critical infrastructure, paralyzed transportation, and sparked widespread panic as authorities scrambled to restore order.

Portugal’s grid operator, Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN), confirmed the catastrophic failure engulfed the entire Iberian Peninsula, with Spain’s Red Eléctrica warning that full power restoration could take up to 10 agonizing hours. As nightfall loomed, fears grew that millions could be left stranded in the dark, with no clear timeline for recovery.

The blackout unleashed havoc across the region. Traffic lights blinked out, triggering gridlock in major cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and Lisbon. Subways screeched to a halt, trapping terrified passengers in pitch-black tunnels, with haunting social media footage showing commuters navigating darkened stations under flickering emergency lights. Major airports, including Madrid’s Barajas and Barcelona’s El Prat, descended into chaos as hundreds of flights were grounded or delayed, stranding thousands of travelers. Portugal’s TAP Air Portugal issued a desperate plea for passengers to stay away from airports until further notice.

In Madrid, Mayor José Luis Martinez Almeida issued a stark warning, urging residents to stay off the roads to clear paths for overwhelmed emergency crews. By late afternoon, Madrid’s emergency services escalated the crisis, pleading with the national government to declare a state of emergency as the city teetered on the edge of disorder.

Hospitals, thrust into crisis mode, switched to backup generators to keep life-saving equipment running, while health ministries in both Spain and Portugal activated emergency protocols to safeguard patients. Across the region, businesses shuttered, ATMs froze, and mobile networks faltered, cutting off communication for countless residents.

The Madrid Open tennis tournament, a marquee global event, was abruptly halted, with stunned spectators filing out of darkened courts. In Lisbon, commuters spilled onto the streets, weaving through stalled traffic as police struggled to manage the chaos.

While some areas reported flickering signs of power restoration by late afternoon, the cause of this historic blackout remains shrouded in mystery. Speculation of a possible cyberattack swirled, though officials have yet to confirm any leads. Red Eléctrica described the restoration as a “complex and delicate operation,” with Portugal’s REN warning that normalcy could be hours—or longer—away.

As millions across Spain, Portugal, and southern France brace for a long and uncertain night, authorities are racing against time to unravel the cause of one of Europe’s most devastating power outages in decades, while a shaken region holds its breath for relief. (ILKHA)