Power is being restored to the last homes hit by a five-day blackout in Germany's snow-covered capital, Berlin. The outage, caused by a suspected arson attack, marked the longest blackout in the capital's post-war history, as temperatures there dipped below freezing. A far-left militant group has admitted responsibility for the attack.
This week’s images of residents enduring the prolonged outage have sparked renewed conversations regarding Germany's vulnerability to sabotage, whether from domestic or foreign threats. Tens of thousands of properties, including schools, hospitals, and care homes, were affected, and a police van drove around the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district announcing the return of power to residents.
Families like Lena's have felt 'lost,' relying on battery-powered radios while using camping stoves to cook and prevent water pipes from freezing. Meanwhile, Reinhold, age 79, has been going to his daughter's house for warmth but returns to his home at night, undeterred by the cold.
Officials reported that restoration of electricity is occurring on a 'step-by-step basis' with around 100,000 people impacted by the blackout—a crisis that required resources from across Germany. Hospitals relied on emergency generators and some schools were closed in response.
This drastic power cut was traced back to early Saturday when burning cables were found on a bridge near the Lichterfelde gas-fired power plant. The Vulkangruppe group later claimed responsibility, stating it aimed to disrupt the fossil energy industry but expressing limited sympathy for residents affected in one of Berlin's wealthier neighborhoods. The federal prosecutor’s office is investigating the incident as a terrorism offense, reflecting an ongoing concern regarding domestic extremists disrupting vital infrastructure in Germany.
This week’s images of residents enduring the prolonged outage have sparked renewed conversations regarding Germany's vulnerability to sabotage, whether from domestic or foreign threats. Tens of thousands of properties, including schools, hospitals, and care homes, were affected, and a police van drove around the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district announcing the return of power to residents.
Families like Lena's have felt 'lost,' relying on battery-powered radios while using camping stoves to cook and prevent water pipes from freezing. Meanwhile, Reinhold, age 79, has been going to his daughter's house for warmth but returns to his home at night, undeterred by the cold.
Officials reported that restoration of electricity is occurring on a 'step-by-step basis' with around 100,000 people impacted by the blackout—a crisis that required resources from across Germany. Hospitals relied on emergency generators and some schools were closed in response.
This drastic power cut was traced back to early Saturday when burning cables were found on a bridge near the Lichterfelde gas-fired power plant. The Vulkangruppe group later claimed responsibility, stating it aimed to disrupt the fossil energy industry but expressing limited sympathy for residents affected in one of Berlin's wealthier neighborhoods. The federal prosecutor’s office is investigating the incident as a terrorism offense, reflecting an ongoing concern regarding domestic extremists disrupting vital infrastructure in Germany.
