The disruption, which began earlier on Tuesday, has been confirmed by the National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response (SENAPRED) to encompass a vast area of the country, including the capital city of Santiago and regions from Arica and Parinacota in the north to Los Lagos in the south. The complete extent of the outage remains uncertain, but authorities are working to resolve the situation.
Reports suggest that the world’s largest copper mine, Escondida, has also experienced power loss, causing concern within the mining sector. LATAM Airlines has alerted passengers to potential flight disruptions as a result of the outage and is advising them to verify their travel information.
In the affected regions, public transport has been gravely affected. The Santiago Metro temporarily suspended services, leading to the evacuation of stations. Footage from the city depicts commuters navigating their way down inactive escalators, while traffic signals have ceased functioning, resulting in chaotic traffic. Long queues have formed at bus stations as residents scramble for alternative transport options.
Maria Angelica Roman, a 45-year-old employee, expressed her concern to AFP News Agency, 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.”
In response to the crisis, Chile’s Interior Minister Carolina Toha announced via X that a meeting would convene to address the ongoing restoration efforts. SENAPRED has indicated that electricity companies are diligently investigating the cause of the outage and working towards reestablishing power. Fortunately, no emergencies related to the blackout have been reported thus far.
Reports suggest that the world’s largest copper mine, Escondida, has also experienced power loss, causing concern within the mining sector. LATAM Airlines has alerted passengers to potential flight disruptions as a result of the outage and is advising them to verify their travel information.
In the affected regions, public transport has been gravely affected. The Santiago Metro temporarily suspended services, leading to the evacuation of stations. Footage from the city depicts commuters navigating their way down inactive escalators, while traffic signals have ceased functioning, resulting in chaotic traffic. Long queues have formed at bus stations as residents scramble for alternative transport options.
Maria Angelica Roman, a 45-year-old employee, expressed her concern to AFP News Agency, 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.”
In response to the crisis, Chile’s Interior Minister Carolina Toha announced via X that a meeting would convene to address the ongoing restoration efforts. SENAPRED has indicated that electricity companies are diligently investigating the cause of the outage and working towards reestablishing power. Fortunately, no emergencies related to the blackout have been reported thus far.
