UPDATED 8:29 PM EST -- GRID COLLAPSE - Country of Chile in Nationwide Blackout

The South American country of Chile is suffering a nationwide electric blackout. 

The blackout includes regions such as Arin and Parinacota in the north of the country, including the Capital city, Santiago, all the way down to Los Lagos in the south.

Electric grid operators say there is no known emergency situation which could have triggered a cascading collapse.  They still have not pinpointed the cause of this disaster.

Companies are sending employees home for the day, including the world's largest copper mine, Escondida, which is without power.  

LATAM Airlines said that some of its flights may also be disrupted while power supplies were down, and urged passengers to check their journey status.

In a post on X, the Santiago Metro operator said its service had been temporarily suspended due to the ongoing power outage, with subway/train stations being evacuated and closed.

As of 5:11 PM eastern US time, millions in Chile are without any electric at all.

UPDATE 8:29 PM EST --

URGENT: The Chilean government declares a state of emergency due to catastrophe in regions affected by the power outage, in addition to imposing an immediate curfew.

The government states that there is no solution for the affected areas, and all essential services are at serious risk.

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