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A massive power outage on Monday, April 28, plunged large parts of Spain and Portugal into darkness, disrupting life across major cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, and Porto. While officials scrambled to restore electricity and investigate the cause, the internet did what it does best: it turned chaos into comedy.By early afternoon, the blackout had affected millions, shutting down traffic lights, paralysing metro networks, halting airports like Madrid-Barajas and Lisbon-Portela, and even interrupting live sporting events. American tennis star Coco Gauff’s post-match interview at the Madrid Open was famously cut short as the lights went out, prompting online jokes about “serving up a blackout”.In addition to the lighthearted humour, some memes added a sharp political edge. A new trend emerged linking the blackout, jokingly or speculatively, to Spain’s recent decision to cancel an arms deal with Israel.Another post depicted a man agitated on a hospital bed with the caption: “No electricity in Portugal and Spain and my phone is about to die. Goodbye, world.” This relatable meme struck a chord with social media users, amplifying the fear of disconnection, even as people tried to find humour in the situation.There was also a humorous meme showing people checking X immediately after the power cut, highlighting how social media is often the first place people turn to for updates.This was followed by another meme with the caption, “Portugal and Spain have a total blackout and are still talking about rearmament and war against Russia,” accompanied by a GIF of Russian President Vladimir Putin laughing. Despite the humour, the outage had serious consequences. Hospitals relied on backup generators, flights were delayed, and emergency services struggled to manage the situation. Preliminary investigations suggested that a fire near Perpignan, France, damaged a high-voltage transmission line, causing the power failure.However, officials have not ruled out technical faults or even a cyberattack as potential causes. Power was restored in stages, but the memes continued to flood in, turning the blackout into a moment of shared cultural experience across the affected regions.
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