Europe today witnessed an unprecedented electrical interruption that led to complete paralysis in Spain and Portugal, with effects that spanned parts of southern France and Andorra. 

The interruption began at 12:33 pm Central European time, causing public transportation services to stop, traffic lights, interruptions of communications, and closing airports, in addition to suspending operations in hospitals that were forced to rely on reserve generators. 

The most prominent developments: Spain: The movement of trains and metro in Madrid and Barcelona stopped, forcing the passengers to evacuate the vehicles and walk on foot. Great airports such as Parjas were closed in Madrid, and telecommunications and internet services have stopped in most parts of the country. 

The Spanish company "Red Electric" reported that the restoration of the current may take between 6 to 10 hours, as investigations continue to determine the exact cause of the interruption.   

Portugal: The Portuguese company “Rin” announced that the interruption included the entire country, which led to the interruption of the metro movement and trains in Lisbon, traffic lights, and the interruption of mobile phone services. 

The government indicated that the reason may be linked to a problem with the Spanish electricity network, with the possibility of a high voltage lines. 

France and Andorra: parts of southern France and Andorra were affected by the interruption, as some areas have witnessed a temporary power outage. The French authorities confirmed that the electricity network returned to work shortly after, while Andorra reported a break for a few seconds. 

Investigations are ongoing: While the accurate causes of the interruption have not yet been determined, some sources indicated that a rare air phenomenon may have caused strong fluctuation in the electrical network, which led to the separation of the Spanish electricity network from the European system. An investigation into the possibility of an electronic attack is also underway, although there is no confirmed evidence so far.

Official reactions: The Spanish and Portuguese governments held emergency meetings to follow up the situation, and the European Commission confirmed that it is in constant contact with the affected countries to provide the necessary support. The officials also called on citizens to stay in their homes and avoid using vehicles to reduce the pressure on emergency services.