Madrid: A widespread power outage across Spain and Portugal caused major disruptions on Monday, leaving people trapped in elevators, stranded on trains, and sparking a rush for basic supplies at supermarkets.
In Madrid’s Atocha station, one of the city’s busiest railway hubs, trains ground to a halt as passengers stood stranded on platforms. ATM screens went blank, and police officers worked to guide crowds toward centralized gathering areas amid growing confusion.
Ana Cordero, a tourist from Puerto Rico, recounted being trapped on a train bound for Barcelona for three hours after the power failure.
“After about an hour the train’s (emergency) battery died and then – that’s it, the bathrooms weren’t working,” she said. “It’s so stupid because everything was electronic, even to wash your hands.”
Eventually, the train was evacuated, and passengers had to walk along the tracks back to the station. Cordero expressed concern about finding a place to stay, fearing that hotel prices would surge.
Meanwhile, in Portugal, many supermarkets in Lisbon and Vilamoura were forced to close due to the outage. In Madrid, however, supermarkets became scenes of frenzied activity, with long lines forming at the tills and shelves rapidly emptying as residents stocked up on essentials such as water, eggs, and milk.
“I left work and the power suddenly went and people started buying,” said Joanly Perez, a 33-year-old doctor. “People aren’t sure what might happen and are buying basic essentials, just in case.”
Oliver Ortiz, a 45-year-old butcher, echoed similar sentiments, saying he was purchasing canned goods “just in case.”
With electronic payment systems down, many shops and taxis in Madrid were unable to accept card payments. Some local stores extended credit to regular customers to cope with the situation.
Messaging platforms quickly filled with pleas for help from people stuck in elevators.
“I haven’t got much battery left, someone advise me – I’m in a lift that’s stuck and the light is LED with its own battery that’s going to turn off any moment,” one X user wrote.
Another user recounted being stuck in an elevator for an hour, adding: “The worst thing was not knowing how long I was going to be there.”
One unverified online post appeared to show window cleaners stranded on Madrid’s Torre de Cristal, the tallest skyscraper in Spain.
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On the streets, the chaos extended to traffic as well. With traffic lights down, police officers manually directed vehicles at major intersections, while some employees from a nearby padel tennis shop used makeshift stop signs to manage the flow.
Roads became heavily congested, while bus stops overflowed with commuters. Many people, faced with no other option, chose to walk home, filling the streets with pedestrians.
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Beatriz Sanchez, 40, said she walked five kilometers across Madrid to pick up her daughters from school.
“I picked them up an hour before they were due out. They were happy, but I was worried. I didn’t know if the bus was going to run, because all the stops were full, and I couldn’t get the car out of the car park.”
However, not everyone was pleased with how the situation was handled. One father’s children were less than thrilled after he followed advice to leave them at school. To make matters worse, his son complained that the school lunch had been served cold.
