Massive Blackout Plunges Chile into Darkness, Emergency Declared

A massive power outage plunged most of Chile into darkness on Tuesday, affecting an estimated 8 million homes and prompting President Gabriel Boric to declare a state of emergency. The outage, which hit during Chile's summer, caused widespread disruption, including internet and cell service outages, and transport network suspensions. The National Electrical Coordinator is investigating the cause of the disruption to a high-voltage transmission line from the Atacama Desert. Authorities imposed a curfew and vowed to hold electricity companies accountable for the widespread impact. While some power has been restored, full recovery is expected in the early morning hours.