Residents cheered as electricity came back on in Madrid after one of Europe’s most severe blackouts caused widespread disruption across Spain and Portugal.
The huge power cut grounded flights, paralysed train services, resulted in traffic chaos and disrupted mobile communications on Monday.
Energy had almost fully returned to Spain early on Tuesday and substations in Portugal are being brought back online as the cause is still unknown and many questions remain.
In Madrid, footage records the sound of locals erupting in celebration from balconies as the lights came back on.
Cheers erupt in Madrid as power returns after mass blackout
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A state of emergency was declared in Spain while an investigation is ongoing. Play at the Madrid Open was suspended. Parts of France also briefly lost power.
On Tuesday morning, as life slowly returned to normal on the Iberian Peninsula, outside Atocha station, one of the busiest in the Spanish capital, people were once again crossing the street while looking at their mobile phones, despite the internet connection being intermittent at times.
But many were angry having endured a miserable night sleeping on the floor, saying they were hungry and thirsty.
On Monday night, many Madrid residents went to sleep in total darkness.
The normally illuminated cathedral spires of Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia Basilica became indistinguishable from the night sky.
Streets remained deserted even in neighbourhoods where lights flickered back on, as people stayed home after a day of chaos.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has warned that people should be careful about misinformation amid speculation a cyber attack was the likely cause.
Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final between Barcelona and Inter Milan will go ahead at the Olympic Stadium.
