A major power outage has hit parts of Prague and the Czech Republic, abruptly halting trains and forcing hospitals to run on generators.

The blackout swept parts of the country just after noon, with the disruption impacting Central Bohemia, Usti and Liberec and more.

In the capital, Metro lines A, B, and C were cancelled and trams on the right bank stopped in the middle of the road.

Traffic lights were cut off as well, causing traffic accidents during one of the most serious outages to hit the Czech electricity grid in recent memory.

By 2pm alone, firefighters had responded to 215 lift rescues across the country after people became trapped.

A hospital in Kutná Hora, a town about 35 miles southeast of Prague, is relying on a generator with only eight hours of fuel.

Men chat next to a stopped tram during a major power outage in Prague, Czech Republic (Picture: REUTERS)

Cars crash during a traffic accident at an intersection, after traffic lights stopped working in the area (Picture: Reuters)

In Hradec Králové, the town hospital has postponed all operations today and paramedics have responded to four patients whose oxygen machines were unusable due to the blackout.

While some ATMs are not working, no issues with banking services as well as with mobile or internet services, have been reported so far, according to Prague Morning.

The Václav Havel Airport, the capital’s international airport, was not hit by the power outage, however. Arrival and departure boards show services running as normal.

What caused the Prague power outage?

Passengers rest on the floor in the hall of the Main Railway Station, with services paralysed by the outage (Picture: Reuters)

Czech transmission system operator ČEPS added that a phase conductor, which transmits electricity, on the V411 line failed.

What to do in a blackout

Use a torch for light rather than candles, which are a fire hazard
Switch off and unplug all electrical appliances and devices other than a single lamp to indicate when power has been restored
Keep a radio to hand, especially a solar-powered, hand-crank one, for the latest updates from official channels
Keep refrigerators and freezers closed to keep food fresh
Use mobile phones only in emergencies
Do not switch on power generators in enclosed spaces

The line, in the north of the country, is the highest voltage level line in the country and carries power from plants over long distances.

The knock-on effect cut power to eight substations, with five restored so far.

The exact cause of the failure is unclear – an investigation has been launched but officials have ruled out a cyber attack.

Trams were immobilised by the outage (Picture: Reuters)

Metro services in the capital are now operating, though some trams are still down (Picture: Reuters)

Industry Minister Lukáš Vlček stressed that restoring power can’t be done in only a few ‘minutes’ and will likely take hours.

The lights are back on for most university hospitals, Deputy Prime Minister Vlastimil Válek said on X.

Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on X: ‘We are facing an extraordinary and unpleasant situation, and everyone is working intensively to restore electricity supplies.

‘That is the priority now. Thank you all for your patience.’

At the time of writing, Liberec, Mladá Boleslav, Most and Litvínov, Ústí nad Labem and Hradec Králové remain without electricity.

The blackout comes only months after Spain and Portugal were hit by one of the worst power failures in recent European history.

Tens of millions of people across the Iberian Peninsula lost power for almost a day, causing scenes of panic-buying in dim shops, commuters strolling through pitch-black train tunnels and countless people left abandoned in airports.

The Spanish government blamed the blackout on missteps and technical hiccups by the grid operator and private companies, while operators said it was caused by high temperatures.

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