Chile declares state of emergency and curfew after massive power outage

Chile declares state of emergency and curfew after massive power outage disrupts the country.

A state of emergency and an overnight curfew have been declared in Chile after a massive power outage crippled the nation on Tuesday. Authorities confirmed the outage was caused by a transmission line failure, leaving millions without power and essential services.

On Tuesday, 99% of Chile was plunged into darkness, leaving millions of people without electricity, internet, or mobile services. The blackout, which affected regions from Arica in the north to Los Lagos in the south, paralyzed daily life in 14 of the country’s 16 regions. The country’s grid operator reported a high-voltage transmission disruption, though the exact cause of the failure remains unclear. The outage coincided with a severe heatwave, further exacerbating the crisis.

As the world’s largest copper producer, Chile was forced to suspend mining operations, and the nation’s water shortages worsened as electric-powered pumps failed to operate. In Santiago, public transport came to a halt. The metro system was shut down, buses were overcrowded, and traffic lights failed, causing widespread congestion.

Local residents faced hours of frustration as they struggled to cope with the ongoing disruption. Commuters were stranded for hours, unable to reach their destinations as public transport systems and traffic management broke down across the city.

Authorities confirmed that emergency generators were activated to keep essential services like hospitals, government offices, and prisons operational. However, no major emergency situations have been reported.

Interior Minister clarified that the outage was due to a transmission line failure in the north of the country, ruling out the possibility of a cyberattack. The government is intensifying investigations to understand the full scope of the problem.

By Tuesday night, power had been restored to half of the 8 million homes affected by the outage. The government imposed an overnight curfew, set to last until 6 a.m. Wednesday, to ensure public safety and aid recovery efforts.

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