I was in blackout and parents haven’t even texted me

[Stopeatingcrispsanddips]

I live in one of the countries where there was a power cut, it was frightening at the time and still feels a bit unsettling. My parents haven’t even WhatsApped us to see how we are (they still live in the U.K.)

Is this normal?

I can’t work out if you’re being serious? Spain, Portugal and France are undeveloped countries?

You cannot compare being in rural South of France with "generators and candles" to the absolute chaos that befell all major Spanish cities on Monday.

I really don't get this refusal to understand just how major this was.

Why was the water supply affected? I'm not doubting, just curious. I live in Ohio and we have power outages here most summers due to weather, usually only a few hours, but once it lasted six days. Our water is never affected.

Oh of course, we are all making it up. Silly me. Landlines didn't work, just so you know. I suppose the high speed trains with people stuck on them just stopped for a laugh for hours in the countryside, with the army having to board them to hand out water? I CANNOT believe the attitude.

Exactly. People are ignorant and overreacting over what sounds like a bog standard mundane blackout. If you are prepared it's nothing. And believe me, 12 hours is absolutely nothing.

Lots of water supplies are pumped from aquifers etc.

"All of this sounds very farfetched and very unbelievable to me" this isn't something someone has just made up for a mumsnet post, this is what actually happened?? It's not up for debate.

How is a an entire power outage across three huge countries a big standard black out?

Black outs aren't bog standard - I can't remember the last time there was a power cut, and I don't think I've ever been in one as far-reaching as that. Are you still maintaining they were planned and announced in advance?

And why would people have been prepared if it's not something that normally happens? That makes no sense. They didn't know it was coming, or how long it would last. It's easy to sneer in hindsight (if you're determined not to have any empathy).

There are people being ignorant but I really wouldn't say it was the people actually involved. Take a long look at yourself.

Landlines don't need power to work, so something doesn't add up there.

And if people are stuck on trains because of lack of power, the backup generators are substandard.

So much of this simply does not add up. It really really doesn't.

I'm 68 and whilst (like you) I've lived through localised power cuts, I've never known the whole of the UK being without any power at all. I think you'll find that a whole country (in this instance Spain, Portugal and parts of France) without any power whatsoever is very different ball park. And yes, it certainly is life threatening because everthing (including the fire and ambulance services) stopped. I somehow don't think you're grasping the enormity of the situation are you.

No backup generators?

Bog standard blackout???

Have you not read any of the posts describing what actually happened?

What point are you trying to make here? It's frankly embarrassing that you are going on and on about something you weren't involved in personally. Or do you have some sort of amazing insight which the governments involved do not?

I'm not saying it's made up, but it does seem exaggerated to me. These places all have backup generators (or at least things like transport, banks, hospitals do - in addition to pubs and restaurants and supermarkets [depending how big they are, of course] ). So a lot of this just doesn't add up. Not in 2025 with every major place having at least one backup generator.

Digital landlines need power.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-67750235.amp

What it is about this that people aren't getting? The INFRASTRUCTURE went down. It wasn't local, it was country wide and beyond, so everything was overwhelmed. When was the last time an entire country, and its neighbour, lost all power suddenly?

Yes I have. And it's standard blackout stuff. Nothing stands out as being out of the ordinary. Except landlines not working despite not even running on power, and trains not having generators (never heard that before).

I’m in Spain too, I thought it was weird when my UK friends contacted me to check I was okay!

it was certainly odd, we assumed cyberwarfare which made it hard to concentrate and more than the lack of power and water, the lack of information/ability to contact people was disconcerting. But it wasn’t that big a deal for most people unless you were stuck on a train/in a lift. It don’t cross my mind that I should be checked on, tbh. My parents didn’t!

You are obviously rage baiting. Do please enlighten us all with an equivalent 'standard blackout' example to prove your point.

Are you a conspiracy theorist or something? How does something not add up? I think you must be on the wind up. Calling Spain, France and Portugal primitive🤣 Maybe you could give them a few tips about how to prepare for the next blackout seeing as how you’re so knowledgeable.

Yeah, and? INFRASTRUCTURE have backup generators! What are you not getting about that?

What does that even mean? What is your experience with country wide electricity infrastructure, UPS systems and backups? Do tell.

How are they not primitive if they don't have generators? Explain that!