Chile Faces Massive Nationwide Power Outage Affecting Millions

The outage, affecting regions from the north to the south of the country, has compelled authorities to swiftly assess the situation as citizens cope with transportation challenges and evacuations.

Chile is grappling with a massive nationwide power outage that has reportedly left millions without electricity. The national emergency service, SENAPRED, confirmed that large parts of the country are impacted, including the capital, Santiago. The exact scale and cause of the blackout, which began earlier on Tuesday, remain unclear, with the outage spanning regions from Arica and Parinacota in the north to Los Lagos in the south.

Reports indicate that Escondida, the world's largest copper mine, has also been affected by the blackout. Meanwhile, the Santiago Metro service has temporarily suspended operations, evacuating stations as power outages rendered escalators non-functional. Visuals from the city captured passengers navigating dark stations and long lines forming at bus stops for alternative transportation.

Citizens have voiced their frustrations amid the chaos, with Maria Angelica Roman, 45, expressing her concern about how to get home as buses filled quickly. In response to the situation, Chile's interior minister, Carolina Toha, announced via X that a meeting would be convened to address the ongoing service restoration efforts. SENAPRED stated that electricity companies are diligently investigating the cause of the outage and working on solutions to restore power as soon as possible.