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Blackout in Colombia

Colombia in the dark about blackout
POSTED: 12:15 p.m. EDT, April 26, 2007
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/04/26/colombia.blackout.ap/index.html

Story Highlights
• Blackout hits Colombia; power reportedly restored to 20 percent of country
• Authorities are trying to find out the cause of the electrical grid's collapse
• Official: Outage appears to have begun with technical glitch at Bogota substation
• There's no indication power outage was the result of a terrorist attack

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- A nationwide blackout hit Colombia on Thursday, with authorities struggling to determine the cause of the electrical grid's collapse.

President Alvaro Uribe told journalists in the southern city of Cali that authorities would "know in a few minutes" the cause of the blackout, which took place at about 10:15 a.m. local time.

He said the blackout "appears to have affected the entire country."

Luis Alarcon, manager of state-controlled electricity distributor ISA, told Caracol Radio that the power outage appears to have begun with an undetermined technical glitch at a substation in Bogota and quickly spread to the rest of the country.

He said work crews had re-established power to about 20 percent of the country and hoped to reconnect the capital and other cities in a few hours.

The power outage doused traffic lights, forced the stock exchange to suspend trading and left at least 10 people trapped in elevators, authorities said.

There was no indication it was the result of a terrorist attack.

Leftist rebels routinely sabotage electric transmission lines as part of their four-decade old campaign to overthrow the government, but such attacks usually have a limited impact.

By toneloc24 on Apr 26, 2007, 09:21 in Friendly Talkzone.

Miguel says on Apr 26, 2007, 09:29:

Oye toneloc24 ¡Váyase a Juernes! Si se fue la luz, no importa.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

juancegomez says on Apr 26, 2007, 09:35:

Seems like it's already coming back up elsewhere. Though not where I am right now (still running on backup power).

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toneloc24 says on Apr 26, 2007, 09:37:

Oye mi corroncho hermano Voy a ir esta noche!!!! No me digas que tengo traer velas conmigo!!!!!!!!!

"Don't tase me, bro!!!!"

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Miguel says on Apr 26, 2007, 09:55:

tone Según de tus jefes en CNN, no tienes que llevarlas. Ojalá que la paisa con las siliconas esta esperanda for my buddy!

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arthur brode says on Apr 26, 2007, 10:06:

llego ahora .

http://www.calirentals.net/

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mecca says on Apr 26, 2007, 10:34:

Yep backup power in cali (north) also keeping things going.

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vicshere says on Apr 26, 2007, 11:23:

bucaramanga back up

listo
"con mucho gusto"
Vic

listo

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tomtom33 says on Apr 26, 2007, 13:35:

Central MDE was back up before noon.

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rocinante says on Apr 26, 2007, 14:23:

oscuridad esta noche? Mi abuelo en medallo tiene luz y está mirando RCN ahora.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

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juancegomez says on Apr 26, 2007, 15:09:

It finally came back a couple of hours ago nt

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JMCana says on Apr 27, 2007, 04:21:

North out until 2pm I am North of Bogota. Power finally restored about 2pm. However I could not get Internet access outside of a Bogotá router until after midnight.

Is there anymore info about the exact cause.

Juancegomez - you have a backup generator at your place? Where did you find to buy one in Bogota?

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tejasmarcos says on Apr 27, 2007, 07:16:

the metro in MDE had hundreds of people trapped for 4 hours. glad i was not on it...........

trying to walk a straight line on sour mash and cheap wine...

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juancegomez says on Apr 27, 2007, 11:53:

JMCana I honestly couldn't say, but I could try asking someone who works in the field, if necessary.

(EDIT: I just asked, and apparently, cost aside, it's relatively easy to find one at Home Sentry and similar places).

To be perfectly clear, "my place", as you call it, happens to be an apartment/office building.

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tomtom33 says on Apr 27, 2007, 13:02:

Home Centers in MDE, I believe, carry generators of all sizes.

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toneloc24 says on Apr 27, 2007, 18:02:

In Barranquilla right now Not sure whether the power outage or rain was the cause, but several Avianca flights in/out of Bogota were delayed. My scheduled 9:45 pm departure didn't occur until approx 12:30 am.

Power came back on mid-to-late afternoon in BAQ, according to my friends.

"Don't tase me, bro!!!!"

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tomtom33 says on Apr 27, 2007, 18:22:

BAQ airport has been having trouble with birds. A few days ago, they had to close the airport.

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Gator says on Apr 27, 2007, 19:00:

Never, NEVER... have a power outage in the middle of installing Vista.

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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Buongone says on Apr 27, 2007, 21:45:

Minister of Mines Was reading earlier about what he said.The dude said someone threw the wrong switch causing a gridlock to about 98% of the country. Kinda like a small version of the episode they had in New York a few years back.

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