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Spain and Portugal power chaos - in pictures

6 hours ago

EPA A group of commuters in shadow leave a dark subway station in Madrid

A massive power cut has caused widespread disruption in parts of Spain and Portugal, with airports, trains and petrol stations impacted.

The chaos has also hit stores, with some supermarkets shutting and local grocery stores switching to cash as card payments stopped working.

Here we collect some of the day's most powerful news photographs.

The outage forced play to be suspended for the day at the Madrid Open

Reuters General view of an empty court as the tennis matches get suspended due to the power outage at the Madrid Open — The outage forced play to be suspended for the day at the Madrid Open

Supermarkets were forced to shut due to their doors and air conditioning running on electricity

Getty Images A person shops at a supermarket using the torch on a phone — Supermarkets were forced to shut due to their doors and air conditioning running on electricity

As card payments switched off, people queued at cash machines in Lisbon

AFP People queue for the ATM at downtown Lisbon — As card payments switched off, people queued at cash machines in Lisbon

Access to spaces like this underground parking garage in Vigo, Spain, was affected

Getty Images Two people attempt to manually open the gate of an underground car park — Access to spaces like this underground parking garage in Vigo, Spain, was affected

People collected gas bottles to use as an alternative to electricity during the outage

AFP Two people with gas bottles next to a car in a petrol station — People collected gas bottles to use as an alternative to electricity during the outage

Spain's national rail company, Renfe, said trains - and passengers - would be heavily impacted

Reuters A group of travellers sit outside a train station after it was closed due to a power outage in Madrid — Spain's national rail company, Renfe, said trains - and passengers - would be heavily impacted

Commuters scrambled to secure places on buses, even as traffic mounted on roads

AFP A crowd of people try to board commuter buses outside the Atocha train station in Madrid — Commuters scrambled to secure places on buses, even as traffic mounted on roads

Spain's transport minister said it was not likely medium or long-distance trains would resume normal service on Monday

Getty Images A crowd of commuters wait outside Sants railway station in Barcelona — Spain's transport minister said it was not likely medium or long-distance trains would resume normal service on Monday

With traffic lights impacted, scenes of chaos were seen in large cities, including Madrid, as vehicles and pedestrians tried to navigate the roads

AFP Drivers wait outside their cars in a massive traffic jam — With traffic lights impacted, scenes of chaos were seen in large cities, including Madrid, as vehicles and pedestrians tried to navigate the roads

With public transport in disarray and despite huge traffic jams, some people were seen trying to hitchhike home from the Spanish capital

EPA A group of people hold signs with locations as they attempt to hitchhike — With public transport in disarray and despite huge traffic jams, some people were seen trying to hitchhike home from the Spanish capital

LIVE UPDATES: Disruption continues after widespread power outage
DAY WITHOUT POWER: How it unfolded, from half-finished haircuts to queues for shops
TRAVEL IMPACT: Flights cancelled and trains called off

Picture research by Nick Galvin and words by Amy Walker