Widespread Power Outage Disrupts Travel in Spain, Portugal

A massive power outage struck Spain and Portugal on Monday, plunging millions into darkness and severely disrupting transportation and daily life across both countries. Airports, especially in Lisbon, Madrid, and Barcelona, faced significant flight cancellations and delays, with airlines such as TAP Air Portugal urging passengers to avoid traveling to airports until further notice. The outage also caused the shutdown of rail networks, metro systems, and traffic lights, leading to gridlock in major cities and prompting officials to ask residents to limit their movements. Emergency generators helped restore partial operations at some airports, but air traffic was reported to be running at only half capacity in Spain. Authorities have ruled out cyberattacks as the cause, instead attributing the blackout to rare atmospheric phenomena. The disruption is expected to continue for several hours or longer as power is gradually restored.