No metro or trams due to massive blackout in the Czech Republic

A massive power outage devastated vast areas of the Czech Republic on Friday, July 4, including its capital, Prague, where millions of people were affected by a massive blackout .

The cause, according to authorities, was a technical failure on a key transmission line and not a cyberattack or terrorist attack, as initially speculated.

The emergency began shortly after noon local time, when several regions of Bohemia — including Prague, Liberec, Ústí nad Labem, Hradec Králové and Olomouc — were left without power.

The public transport system immediately came to a standstill: the Prague metro completely halted lines A, B, and C, and trams stopped running in many parts of the city.

In apartment buildings, offices, and hospitals, dozens of people were trapped in elevators . According to the Czech fire department, at least 200 people were rescued without incident.

The situation forced several hospitals to operate with emergency generators, while the traffic light network collapsed and many ATMs stopped working.

The power outage also affected regional and commuter trains , causing delays and cancellations on key routes such as Kolín, Benešov, and Kutná Hora.

In the town of Litvinov, a chemical plant and refinery were forced to shut down, creating plumes of smoke visible for miles around.

Czech authorities ruled out early on that the incident was the result of an external attack. Interior Minister Vít Rakušan confirmed that " there is no evidence of a terrorist act or a cyberattack ."

The cause, he explained, was the fall of a high-voltage conductor on the V411 line, which triggered a chain reaction that deactivated at least eight electrical substations, including the Chodov substation, one of the most important in Prague.

"This was an extraordinary and unpleasant situation," said Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, after activating the Central Crisis Staff to coordinate the national response. Industry and Trade Minister Lukáš Vlček , meanwhile, called the incident a "serious technical failure" and assured that a thorough review of the national electrical infrastructure would be conducted.

By 1:00 PM GMT (3:00 PM local time), most of the affected substations had been reactivated. The Prague metro partially resumed operations in less than an hour, and trams began running again during the afternoon. Power was virtually restored across the country by 5:00 PM.

Despite the chaos, no fatalities or serious injuries were reported. However, the incident revived the debate about the vulnerability of European electricity grids and the urgent need to modernize energy infrastructure in the face of technical phenomena and climate emergencies.