Puerto Rico was plunged into darkness on Wednesday as a power blackout struck the entire island, leaving residents to wonder if they would be able to celebrate the Easter weekend in style.
The outage, which affected all 3.2 million people on the island, occurred at around 1pm local time and lasted for several hours, with some areas experiencing prolonged blackouts of up to 24 hours.
“I was supposed to go to church this morning, but the power went out and I couldn’t even make it,” said Maria Rodriguez, a resident of San Juan. “I was really looking forward to celebrating Easter with my family, but now I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
The blackout is attributed to a combination of factors, including an aging electrical grid that has struggled to keep up with the demands of a growing population and severe weather conditions that have caused widespread damage to power lines.
“We are working hard to restore power as quickly and safely as possible,” said Luis Fortuño, Governor of Puerto Rico. “We understand the importance of this holiday weekend for our residents and will do everything in our power to get back to normal.”
The blackout has also had a significant impact on businesses and tourists, with many establishments forced to close temporarily or cancel events.
“It’s a nightmare,” said tourist Sarah Johnson, who was planning to visit San Juan during the Easter weekend. “I’ve never experienced anything like this before. I just hope they can get the power back on soon.”
Despite the challenges posed by the blackout, residents are still finding ways to come together and celebrate the holiday.
“We’re going to have an impromptu Easter dinner at my house,” said Rodriguez. “We’ll just make do with what we have and enjoy each other’s company. That’s what Easter is all about, after all.”
The blackout has also brought attention to Puerto Rico’s ongoing energy crisis, which has been a major issue for the island in recent years.
“This is not an isolated incident,” said Senator Roque Rivera, who represents Puerto Rico in Congress. “This is just another example of the systemic problems we have with our electrical grid and energy policy.”
Rivera called on lawmakers to take action to address the crisis, which he said requires a comprehensive and sustained effort.
“We need to take this seriously and work together to find solutions,” he said. “We can’t keep living like this. We deserve better.”
