State of emergency declared as panic-buying sweeps Spain and Portugal

has declared a state of emergency after a nationwide power blackout hit most of the Iberian peninsula, leaving roads gridlocked and prompting people to clear supermarket shelves amid fears the chaos could last for days.

Spain's Interior Ministry on Monday added the emergency status will be applied in the regions that request it.

So far, Madrid, Andalusia and Extremadura have asked for the central government to take over public order and other functions.

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