Major areas in Spain and Portugal are without electricity as the grid fails.
Every single part of digital life from shops, to traffic lights, hospitals, airports, phones, have all reported to be hit.
Some residents have managed to get messages out using the internet and the mobile phone system though even parts of that are said to have experienced problems.
Reports of long queues at cash points have been seen as card payments are not working in retail outlets.
The mayor of Madrid has asked people to keep their movements to a minimum, saying, "I ask all residents of Madrid to keep their movements to an absolute minimum and, if at all possible, to remain where they are. We want to keep all roads clear."
With the outage affecting subway trains many passengers are said to still be trapped, several hours after the power went out shortly after 11:00 a.m. local time in Portugal, midday in Spain.
Main railways have also been affected with trains coming to a halt and bewildered passengers seen disembarking in remote locations.
Air traffic in Spain and Portugal is also being impacted by widespread electrical outages affecting both countries though it is unclear at present whether flights are being diverted. Lisbon's main airport is shut and several flights have been cancelled according to one stranded passenger Joseph Henshaw who spoke to Sky News using a sketchy cellphone service.
There are unconfirmed reports that parts of southern France and Andorra have also been affected.
Further unconfirmed reports on social media have said that the power outage across Spain has triggered chaos in supermarkets, with some stores closing to prevent looting, and long queues forming at those still open as panicked shoppers rush to stock up on supplies.
Meanwhile the Spanish power operator has said power is unlikely to be restored for up to 10 hours with some estimates being as long as a week.
As to the cause, speculation is rife on social media that it was a cyberattack. Power companies, including Spanish power grid operator Red Electrica, have said that a rare environmental phenomenon due to extreme temperature variations caused the outage.
Every single part of digital life from shops, to traffic lights, hospitals, airports, phones, have all reported to be hit.
Some residents have managed to get messages out using the internet and the mobile phone system though even parts of that are said to have experienced problems.
Reports of long queues at cash points have been seen as card payments are not working in retail outlets.
The mayor of Madrid has asked people to keep their movements to a minimum, saying, "I ask all residents of Madrid to keep their movements to an absolute minimum and, if at all possible, to remain where they are. We want to keep all roads clear."
With the outage affecting subway trains many passengers are said to still be trapped, several hours after the power went out shortly after 11:00 a.m. local time in Portugal, midday in Spain.
Main railways have also been affected with trains coming to a halt and bewildered passengers seen disembarking in remote locations.
Air traffic in Spain and Portugal is also being impacted by widespread electrical outages affecting both countries though it is unclear at present whether flights are being diverted. Lisbon's main airport is shut and several flights have been cancelled according to one stranded passenger Joseph Henshaw who spoke to Sky News using a sketchy cellphone service.
There are unconfirmed reports that parts of southern France and Andorra have also been affected.
Further unconfirmed reports on social media have said that the power outage across Spain has triggered chaos in supermarkets, with some stores closing to prevent looting, and long queues forming at those still open as panicked shoppers rush to stock up on supplies.
Meanwhile the Spanish power operator has said power is unlikely to be restored for up to 10 hours with some estimates being as long as a week.
As to the cause, speculation is rife on social media that it was a cyberattack. Power companies, including Spanish power grid operator Red Electrica, have said that a rare environmental phenomenon due to extreme temperature variations caused the outage.
A heat burst, a rare environmental phenomenon characterised by sudden and extreme temperature changes, could be a potential cause for an outage. Heat bursts, which can occur during the late spring and summer, are often accompanied by strong winds and a sharp decrease in humidity, all of which could disrupt power lines or equipment. Additionally, extreme heat can lead to increased demand for electricity, potentially straining the power grid and contributing to outages.
tvnewswatch, London, UK