The Blackout

There have been plenty of earthquakes around the city to last someone a lifetime. While they may not have been as bad as reported internationally, where it sounds as if the news has often confused the city of Concepcion with Santiago, it’s been enough to at least a few nerves and cause some to suffer from insomnia as they await another big one to occur.

That being said, it came as almost comical when last sunday night, when about 8pm, the lights went out. While on the internet chatting, I happened to remark that the lights just went out, which was soon followed by my connection getting cut as well. Curious, I picked up the cell phone to check if it was just my immediate area or not, the call went through, only to be dropped shortly thereafter when it seems the towers happen to lose power as well.

Something was definitely up.

In a city where the lights shield most of the evening stars, many more became visible. People gathered outsides under some of the few functioning lights in the lobby of buildings and near ATMs. Others jumped in their cars to head… who knows where.  Yet others lined up at the bus station and crammed into what seemed to be the only source of light.. that of the headlights and interior of the buses which continued to run.

It turns out that this blackout wasn’t merely in the area of las condes or even in the city of Santiago, it actually affected about 70% of the entire country.  No small blackout was this. It sort of reminded of of the big blackout which covered much of the northeastern portion of the United States and Canada of a couple years back.

What was interesting, besides the rush to the bus stations was the general ease which much of this was taken. Unlike earthquakes which are pretty common, blackouts like this are not. There happen to be a party taking place on the second floor of my building… which not to be deterred, was moved outside and set to candle light as if it had been planned all along. Following this I had made the mental note to purchase some candles (and something easy to light them with*).

Another interesting component of this blackout was just how unaffected the building that sits across from my building happen to be. Shortly after the earthquake, when much of the area had lost power as well, this building was not to be disrupted. After the blackout which darked 70% of the country, this building was still, not to be disrupted. Even the candle like lights near the windows continued to shine brightly.

Related posts:

1. Chilean Beginning
2. el Apartamento
3. Veinticuatro Horas