Ecuador: Millions Without Electricity as Massive Blackout Envelops Parts of Country

Ecuador has suffered a massive and unexpected blackout after an energy transmission line failed. This blackout happened after the government announced that there would be power outages across the country as its power production problems continued.

Ecuador Minister of Energy Roberto Luque announced on X that "a cascade disconnection" was caused after t the failure was reported by the country's National Electricity Operator. This has left millions without any power.

Luque did promise that efforts to restore power are currently being made and that they are also already trying to repair any faulty power lines as soon as possible.

In some areas of the country, the power outage only lasted around 20 minutes. However, social media users and local media outlets have revealed that the blackouts persisted in most cities and not just in the capital, Quito.

"We thought it was only in this sector, but when we left we realized that while some stores had connected generators, the majority did not have electricity," Emilia Cevallos, a waitress in a restaurant in Quito, told the Associated Press. "The traffic lights were not working either."

The blackouts caused many traffic problems across the capital, with the city deploying traffic agents immediately after the power went out to coordinate the flow of traffic. Meanwhile, the Quito Metro, the company that operates the city's subway system, stated that subway operations have been suspended because of the blackouts.

Ecuador has been facing a massive electricity generation crisis since last year, and the country has been rationing electricity. One of the main reasons is the weather phenomena known as El Niño, which has caused droughts that have already depleted reservoirs and limited output at hydroelectric plants, which produce 75% of the country's energy output.

Why Is Ecuador Having Electricity Problems and Blackouts?

Ecuador's power systems are old, and Minister Luque himself acknowledges this, saying, "For years there has been a lack of investment in these systems and electrical grids and today we are suffering the consequences."

According to Yahoo! News, Ecuador has been suffering rolling blackouts since April as drought ravaged the country, with citizens having to suffer through power outages of up to 13 hours at a time. The country suspended electricity rationing in May when the rainy season arrived, but the country's electricity problems still persist, as shown by this latest blackout.

Ecuador Also Dealing With Massive Landslides

Meanwhile, the country is also contending with heavy rains that have caused various other problems all over the country, including a massive landslide in central Ecuador that killed at least eight people.

Ecuador's Risk Management office stated that rescue teams, with the help of some inhabitants, are still looking for more victims of a landslide that happened when a hill partially collapsed and brought mud and soil to sweep over houses and vehicles. There were eight confirmed deaths, while 11 others were missing, and 22 more were injured, according to the Associated Press.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: The Bigger Problem With The Power Outages in Ecuador - GM Ace