Europe’s Devastating Power Outage in Photos

Grounded subways, canceled flights, stores, hospitals, and offices completely in the dark: This is the situation following the vast blackout that hit Spain, Portugal, and some regions of southern France.

The power grid was sent down around noon local time on Monday, simultaneously blocking all public services in major Spanish cities. The restoration of the power supply is currently underway, with officials citing a rare atmospheric phenomenon as the cause.

Portuguese officials told national media that the blackout affected the entire territory. Reports of power outages have also come from citizens in Andorra and areas of France bordering Spain. The Spanish government met in Madrid to monitor the situation, while citizens did their best to adjust to a world without electricity. Below are glimpses of affected regions in the early hours of the outage.