Chile plunged into darkness: state of emergency declared

Chilean authorities declared a state of emergency following a massive power outage that occurred on 25 February. The blackout paralysed the metro system, cut power to mines and left major cities in the country in the dark.

What happened?

Interior Minister Carolina Toha stated that the cause of the emergency was a failure on a power line in the northern regions. She also refuted theories of a cyberattack or deliberate interference.

As a result of the energy collapse, streetlights went out in Santiago, and emergency service sirens echoed through the city. The capital's metro ceased operations, and passengers were evacuated directly from the carriages.

Curfew introduced

Hours after the blackout began, the government declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew from 22:00 to 06:00 to prevent chaos and looting.

Major mines affected

The accident hit the mining industry particularly hard. The power outage paralysed mine operations, including Escondida — the world's largest copper mine. This could lead to disruptions in copper supplies and affect global commodity prices.