Supermarkets and pharmacies in the dark: "We can't sell"

BarcelonaAnna doesn't move from the door of the Nadal pharmacy on Barcelona's Ramblas. The store is dark and doesn't allow customers to enter due to the general power outage This is affecting all of Catalonia, Spain, and Portugal. Without electricity and internet, many pharmacies can't sell prescription drugs, as the system has crashed. Anna can't collect payments without cash and says she's taken some money out of the register in case someone comes in to buy. "But generally I can't sell," she admits. Furthermore, some products require refrigeration, and if the cold chain is broken, the medication spoils. "It happened suddenly. I don't understand anything," she admits.

The unease on the streets is widespread. "It's desperate because you can't pay for anything, charge your phone, or do anything," says Miquel Garcia, an international business student at a school in the Eixample district. He lives in Sant Boi and is considering walking home because public transportation isn't working either. In fact, wherever there is an ATM, there are lines to withdraw money. For example, the one in Portal del Ángel. There, businesses have closed their doors while they wait for instructions on what to do. However, some businesses are active, such as the lottery shop in front of El Corte Inglés, where a couple of people are taking the opportunity to buy a ticket.

A delivery man with a cart full of packages is standing in the middle of the street in downtown Barcelona. "We can't work without electricity," he complains. Like him, all the employees of the multinational he works for depend on orders received via the Internet. "I can't see the address where I have to make the deliveries," he emphasizes.

A few meters away, a security guard refuses entry to everyone trying to access the Carrefour on La Rambla. "It's not possible, sorry, we don't have electricity," he explains. He speaks in Catalan, Spanish, and also English. He claims to have a generator that allows the products to be refrigerated. It would also allow him to continue selling, but they are not confident and have decided to close their doors to the public. Many merchants fear being robbed by the uncontrolled traffic, especially those with electric gates that have been left wide open.

Meanwhile, City Police officers are trying to control the flow of vehicles and pedestrians attempting to cross the intersection between La Rambla, Calle Pelayo, and Plaça Catalunya. The traffic lights aren't working, nor is the metro, and several people are approaching the stations, which are cordoned off, looking for answers. "You can't enter, you can't enter!" a metro guard simply says. In fact, Civil Protection is asking the public to minimize movement and only go when strictly necessary.

Security personnel from the Generalitat Railways (FGC) assure that they cannot contact their managers and that they don't know what happened, but they insist that the facilities cannot be accessed. No transport is operating. In fact, there are passengers who were traveling when the blackout occurred and have been trapped inside the convoysThe Mossos d'Esquadra have deployed all ARRO and Brimo units to evacuate passengers trapped in elevators and tunnels.

Those at the Urquinaona stop, like Ana Fernández, were left stranded in complete darkness for nearly 20 minutes until they were allowed to exit via the platform. She explains that they were informed of a widespread breakdown throughout and that they exited via the driver's cab.

"The power has gone out all over Spain," replies a user who has become the unofficial spokesperson for people approaching the Catalunya metro exit. "I don't know what I'll eat today," another adds with frustration. "Now what do we do?" insists her companion. Several people try to hail one of the few free taxis moving through the city center. A man loaded with suitcases manages to stop one.

Gas stations are also experiencing unusual queues. For example, at the gas station on Roger de Flor Street and Diputació Street, a long line of motorcyclists can be seen waiting to fill up their tanks and people wanting to fill up gas canisters. It should be noted that many generators run on diesel, and in the absence or shortage of electricity, pedestrians seeking this fuel are increasing.

Schools and senior centers

At the Raval senior citizens' home, the blackout caught them while they were having lunch. "Luckily, we were able to heat up the food before the power went out," says Judit, a supervisor at the center. Ramona is standing at the door with her mother, who is in a wheelchair, and is carrying her home so she can bring her upstairs. "We have a battery-powered platform, but I'm afraid that if it takes too long, she won't be able to get up to the house," she says. "Does anyone happen to have an analog radio?" someone shouts.

The director of a nursing home in the neighborhood explains that, for now, everything is working well. They have enough food and hygiene products to last them a couple of days without problems and have started the generators to operate the elevators. They have about 100 residents who have been able to have lunch peacefully and are now resting in their rooms. Some staff members have been unable to get to the residence due to transportation problems.

Some worried parents have also gone to pick up their children from school, as is the case with Ilda. She was caught by the blackout on the metro at Passeig de Gràcia, but she was able to get out because the doors were open when the power went out. Eva Tomàs, a teacher at the Milà i Fontanals school, was caught mid-class with the children: "At first I thought the power had gone out at the school, but it wasn't until I left that we realized it was widespread," she says.

The daycare centers weren't too affected. "The blackout caught us right in the middle of nap time, so we put the little ones to bed and they didn't notice," explains Monica Luque, from the Tic-Tac daycare center in the Eixample district. The little ones usually sleep from 1 to 3 pm, and in fact, up until this time, family members hadn't been asked to come and get them.