Iberian Peninsula faces massive blackout and state of emergency

A massive power outage has struck the Iberian Peninsula, affecting much of Spain and Portugal. Spain has declared a state of emergency following the blackout, which began around 12:30 p.m. local time on Monday. The outage has caused significant disruptions to transport, water supplies, Wi-Fi, and mobile networks.

Portuguese operator REN reported a "very large oscillation in the electrical voltages," noting that the issue originated in the Spanish system before spreading to Portugal. While Spanish grid operator Red Electrica stated that more than 20 percent of Spain's power has been restored, REN warned that it could take up to a week to fully restore the power grid.

In Spain, regions including Madrid, Andalusia, and Extremadura have requested the central government to take over public order and other essential functions. Millions of people are estimated to be without electricity and water, and numerous flights have been grounded.