After an island-wide blackout on Wednesday, power has been restored to approximately 40% of Puerto Rico, as reported by the territory’s energy distributor.
The blackout affected key locations such as the main international airport, several hospitals, and hotels hosting Easter holidaymakers.
The power loss caused traffic congestion, closure of businesses, and difficulties for those without generators to purchase essentials like ice and candles.
The cause of the shutdown remains unclear, occurring around noon local time on Wednesday and impacting 1.4 million customers with 328,000 also losing water supply.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Tap here
Efforts are underway to restore power, with 175,000 customers (12%) having power by the end of Wednesday.
Luma Energy, the provider for all of Puerto Rico, reported restoration of power for around 609,711 customers, representing 41.5% of its total customer base by 7am local time.
Predictions suggest that 90% of customers will have power back within 48 to 72 hours post-outage.
A bartender talks to a customer at a bar during the blackout.
Pic: Reuters
This recent blackout was the second island-wide outage in less than four months for Puerto Rico, with the previous incident happening on New Year’s Eve.
The community expressed concerns about the need for improved energy infrastructure as the repercussions of such outages impact the economy and public welfare.
Government officials, including Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez, have acknowledged the urgency in addressing the island’s energy challenges.
Discover more world news:
Israeli strike ‘kills family of 10’
Senior Chinese underworld figure shot dead in Rome
Why Trump is leveraging story of murdered woman
Pic: AP
Gonzalez highlighted the significant financial losses and economic implications of major outages like the recent one experienced in Puerto Rico.
Public figures and business representatives stressed the urgency in taking concrete steps to enhance the energy grid and prevent recurring blackouts.
Concerns for vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and those relying on medical equipment, have prompted local authorities to take proactive measures to provide support during power disruptions.
Pic: Reuters
The ongoing efforts to stabilize the power grid and prevent future outages have underscored the critical need for infrastructure investment and maintenance in Puerto Rico.
Chronic outages have plagued the region since Hurricane Maria in 2017, highlighting the vulnerability of the existing power grid due to lack of upkeep and modernization.