A significant power outage has impacted millions of residents in Chile, leaving many without electricity and causing disruptions across the country, including the capital, Santiago. The nationwide blackout began earlier today, affecting vast regions from Arica and Parinacota in the north all the way to Los Lagos in the south, according to the national disaster response service (SENAPRED).
SENAPRED hasn't confirmed the total number of people affected, but reports indicate that even the world's largest copper mine, Escondida, is in the dark. The Santiago Metro announced a temporary suspension of its services, prompting passengers to evacuate stations by walking up non-operational escalators. Traffic signals across the city have also gone dark, leading to long lines for the few buses still in operation.
One commuter, María Angélica Román, expressed her concerns to AFP, stating, "They let us leave work because of the power cut, but now I don't know how we will get home because all the buses are full." Chile's Interior Minister Carolina Toha noted on X that a meeting would be convened to discuss efforts to restore power as electricity companies investigate the cause of the outage.
SENAPRED hasn't confirmed the total number of people affected, but reports indicate that even the world's largest copper mine, Escondida, is in the dark. The Santiago Metro announced a temporary suspension of its services, prompting passengers to evacuate stations by walking up non-operational escalators. Traffic signals across the city have also gone dark, leading to long lines for the few buses still in operation.
One commuter, María Angélica Román, expressed her concerns to AFP, stating, "They let us leave work because of the power cut, but now I don't know how we will get home because all the buses are full." Chile's Interior Minister Carolina Toha noted on X that a meeting would be convened to discuss efforts to restore power as electricity companies investigate the cause of the outage.
