Importance Score: 35 / 100 🔵
MADRID — The power outage that crippled the Iberian Peninsula for much of Monday had a particularly severe impact on Spain’s high-speed rail services.
Here are narratives from three individuals affected by the power failure:
Stalled in a Tunnel
Álvaro Agustín had spent the weekend in his native Gijón and was en route back to Valencia, where he is employed as a physician.
Shortly after departing the northern Spanish city, his train entered a tunnel and ground to a stop. Agustín, 26, presumed it would be a temporary delay, as often occurs on this familiar six-hour journey. However, he found himself waiting, and waiting, with two hours passing without any updates.
Finally, the train crew announced a power grid issue and revealed they were unsure when it would be rectified. An hour later, a military emergency team arrived, distributing water and informing passengers of a widespread blackout in Spain and Portugal. They, too, could not predict when electricity would be restored.
Eventually, the restroom’s toilet backed up, releasing an unpleasant odor that permeated the carriage and forcing passengers to cover their noses with shirts. Then, the train’s backup power lost battery and plunged Agustín’s carriage into darkness. Even the glow from mobile phone screens was absent, as people conserved what power they had left.
“While outside, they had sunlight, we were in the dark, clueless about what was happening,” Agustín recounts on Tuesday after returning home to Gijón.
Most passengers maintained composure. Some even found humor, singing and chatting to pass the time. But a 15-year-old girl in his carriage began experiencing an anxiety attack. Agustín checked her with his stethoscope and engaged her in conversation, offering advice to help manage her breathing.
Nine hours after the initial halt, a backup locomotive arrived, rescuing the passengers and transporting them to the nearest urban center.
A prolonged Wait in Barcelona
Paquita González, 53, arrived at Barcelona’s primary rail station on Monday and found all services had been suspended. She stayed put, anticipating the issue would be resolved, and hoping to soon board a train to her home in Cadiz, in southern Spain.
Yet, hours passed without difference. González spent the night lying on the terminal’s floor unable to rest due to anxiety.
“The night was very tough, and I am not young anymore,” she said the following morning. “There were little ones, all attempting rest on the cold, hard floor.”
By noon on Tuesday, González was fatigued, still waiting for a seat on a train, amidst hundreds of other stranded travelers.
- “Another day of waiting,” González remarked through tears. “I’ve been here for over 15 hours.”
Passing Time with Games and Support
Erika Sánchez was traveling to Madrid on a high-speed rail from Barcelona when her companion messaged her around 12:30 p.m. regarding strange occurrences at home: colleagues across Spain were reporting power failures.
Shortly afterward, her train halted in a seemingly remote location – surrounded by forest, with no town nearby, she reported.
The locomotive driver announced he would open the doors to encourage airflow and attempted to conserve battery life by deactivating train power.
Sánchez passed the time playing cards with passengers around her and conversing with elderly women, who reminisced about the challenging times of their youth. Others banded together, sharing spare energy banks and snacks within the group.
- “The train staff did a commendable job, working to distribute food and water to everyone,” she added.
Six hours later, the train resumed movement with passengers cheering in relief. They arrived at a station in Guadalajara, around 44 miles south of Madrid, where another train had also been diverted.
In the vicinity, volunteers at a gymnasium gave out food to some of the 800 weary passengers, many of whom braced themselves to spend the night on the available floor space.
Sánchez prepared to do the same, until a young woman offered to drive her to Madrid. Around 3 a.m., she reached her home, 12 hours behind schedule.