Spain's Interior Ministry on Monday declared a state of emergency after a nationwide power blackout hit most of the Iberian Peninsula. The ministry added the emergency status will be applied in the regions that request it.

The massive power cut that stranded Mr Hughes triggered chaos across Spain and Portugal, and also impacted Andorra and parts of France, from about midday local time (10:00 GMT). Traffic lights shut off. Metros closed. Businesses shuttered and people joined queues to get cash as card payments did not work.

A countrywide power outage impacted Spain—as well as swaths of Portugal and smaller portions of France—Monday afternoon, affecting essential services and wreaking chaos across the Iberian Peninsula. The cause of the outage is currently being investigated by Spanish and Portuguese officials and ministers.