State of Emergency Declared in Chile Following Nationwide Blackout

A state of emergency was declared in Chile after a blackout left 8 million homes without power, including Santiago. The government restored power to 90% of affected homes by Wednesday, while an investigation into the outage’s cause is underway. President Boric criticized electricity companies for the disruption.

On Tuesday, President Gabriel Boric declared a state of emergency in Chile as a significant blackout affected most parts of the nation, including the capital, Santiago. Approximately 8 million homes were left without electricity amid the summer heat, with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius. Affected regions included 14 out of 16 of the country’s regions, leaving the government scrambling to restore power and services to the public.

By Wednesday, the Chilean National Electric Coordinator reported that power had been restored to 90% of the affected homes and businesses, although 220,000 customers remained without service. Despite the challenges, Interior Minister Carolina Tohá announced that all public transport services had resumed, and officials indicated plans to lift the state of emergency shortly. An ongoing investigation aims to determine the cause of the outage, which was initially linked to a disruption in a high-voltage transmission line from northern Chile.

The declaration of a state of emergency in Chile follows a widespread blackout that left millions without electricity. The government has made significant progress in restoring power, although some individuals remain affected. Authorities are conducting investigations and have implemented measures to ensure public safety. The incident has prompted criticism of electricity providers, with the President committing to accountability and thorough investigations going forward.

Original Source: wsvn.com