Chile Faces Major Blackout Amid State of Emergency and Curfew
A massive blackout hit Chile, leaving millions powerless and prompting a state of emergency and curfew in Santiago and beyond.
A major blackout hits Chile, leaving millions without power
Associated Press
Overview
A major blackout struck Chile on February 25, 2025, after a disruption in high-voltage transmission affecting over 90% of the population. The outage extended from Arica to Los Lagos, causing chaos with stranded commuters and disabled traffic lights, particularly in Santiago. Interior Minister Carolina Tohá confirmed that essential services are relying on backup generators. Following the blackout, which lasted over five hours, President Gabriel Boric declared a state of emergency and curfew from 10 PM to 6 AM to ensure public safety. Tohá ruled out sabotage as the cause, indicating a system operational failure instead.
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Associated Press·4M·FAQ
The blackout was caused by a disruption in a high-voltage transmission line, which led to a system operational failure rather than sabotage.
Essential services such as hospitals, prisons, and government buildings switched to backup generators to maintain operations.
The government declared a state of emergency and implemented a curfew from 10 PM to 6 AM to ensure public safety. Interior Minister Carolina Tohá convened officials and electricity providers to restore power.
The blackout affected over 90% of the population, stretching from Arica in the north to Los Lagos in the south.
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