Parts of Spain in state of emergency over massive blackout

Amid a massive blackout, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday announced a state of emergency in the regions of Madrid, Andalusia, and Extremadura.

The declaration is being made at the request of the regional governments. The move allows the central government to coordinate the response, including mobilizing the military.

Sanchez added that Spain would declare a state of emergency in any other region that ask for it, something Murcia in the country's southeast later requested, according to Spanish broadcaster RTVE.

"We do not know the causes. We are not ruling out any hypothesis," Sanchez added in a speech to the nation.

Electricity went out across Spain and Portugal around midday and is being gradually restored. Many areas in Spain have endured nearly nine hours without power.

While Sanchez said the security situation remained positive, much of Spain's transport system ground to a halt. Metros and trains stopped service, while major cities experienced traffic gridlock after traffic lights failed.

Thousands of people also had to be rescued from elevators, with around 150 such incidents reported in Madrid alone, according to the capital city's mayor.

So far, Spanish media have reported some traffic accidents but no major looting or hits to critical infrastructure like hospitals, which are attending to emergencies.

Sanchez urged citizens to stay calm, conserve phone batteries, and avoid speculation or spreading misinformation about the causes of the blackout.

Train stations are remaining open overnight to allow stranded passengers to stay.

According to Spanish daily El Pais, this is the worst power outage in Spanish history.

The blackout also caused widespread disruption in Portugal, whose prime minister said the issue originated from a problem in the Spanish system.