Spain and Portugal's mass power cuts raises crucial point about global disasters

The mass power cuts that have taken place in Spain and Portugal this week have led to people making the same important point.

Earlier this week, Spain, Portugal and some areas of south-west France suffered a major power cut that affected residential homes, offices, travel and transport.

According to Portuguese prime minister Luis Montenegro, the problem started in Spain, with Portugal's grid operator REN explaining that a 'rare atmospheric phenomenon' led to the shutdown.

The operator said: “Due to extreme temperature variations in the interior of Spain, there were anomalous oscillations in the very high voltage lines (400 kV), a phenomenon known as ‘induced atmospheric vibration’.

"These oscillations caused synchronisation failures between the electrical systems, leading to successive disturbances across the interconnected European network.”

Airports and train stations were left in chaos (Albert Llop/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The blackout disrupted the lives of millions, with both countries declaring a state of emergency on Monday.

While power has now returned for the majority, the fallout continues, with the travel sector particularly impacted.

The Independent's travel correspondent Simon Calder has estimated that around 500 flights were cancelled as a result of the issue. Meanwhile, airports and train stations remain chaotic from the backlog.

Much of Spain and Portugal was at a standstill from the power cut, with offices closed, traffic gridlocked and people unable to use their bank cards.

It's led people to raise an important argument, with social media users pointing out the importance of still carrying - and being able to use - cash.

The power cut left people unable to shop with their cards (Alex Camara/Anadolu via Getty Images)

One person on X wrote: "The power cuts in Spain and Portugal once again show why we must always keep cash in society. When the power is cut, cash is the last transaction standing."

They later added: "A massive power cut has hit large parts of Spain and Portugal affecting public transport, traffic lights, hospitals, shops and restaurants. Reports of long queues at cash points as card payments are not working - yet another example of why cash must never be phased out."

Meanwhile, another said: "This why we must demand to keep physical currency. When the power goes out, your credit cards and ATM Debt card will not work. Cash is king, when the power is out, my 20 bucks is still 20 bucks.

"Always keep some cash on you or where you can get to it for times like this."

Sanchez said the power cut can never happen again (Burak Akbulut/Anadolu via Getty Images)

And another added: "The power cut in Spain proving how being ultra reliant on the interwebs for all your apps and power for card payments is a folly. Carry cash folks."

Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, has said that the country will 'not allow' a blackout of this scale to happen again.

"What happened yesterday cannot ever happen again," he said. “This event cannot be repeated ever. We are fully aware that the media has questions, we also have questions ourselves, we will answer all the questions."

He added that his team are also demanding 'responsibilities for private operators, and we need to ensure that people are accountable for those responsibilities'.