Update 7: Power fully restored - cars, lamps provide lighting for processions

Power was restored across all of Malta and Gozo at 11.52 p.m tonight after the second blackout in as many weeks struck at 7.35 p.m.

Enemalta apologised for the inconvenience caused and said power was lost during switching operations at Delimara power station. It gave no further details.

The lights came on again at 8.05 pm. in the San Gwann area but then went off again. Power was restored to the Marsascala area at 8.23 p.m. followed by the freeport area and Hal Far. Power was again restored to the San Gwann area (which includes the hospital) at 8.45 p.m.

By 9.15 the lights were back on in parts of Marsa, Zurrieq, Valletta, Hamrun, Cospicua, Hamrun, Floriana, and Attard.

At parts of Birkirkara, power was restored at 9 p.m. but went out again three minutes later. It came on again after some 15 minutes.

By 9.35 p.m. Enemalta said power had been restored to 40 per cent of localities.

At 10.15 p.m. more than half of Malta had power.

Power was restored to 70 per cent of the islands by 10.50 p.m. Enemalta said areas to which power had been restored include Gozo, Żebbieħ, Mġarr, Mellieħa as well as parts of Msida and San Ġwann.

By 11.30 p.m., power was restored at 85 per cent of the country including Bugibba and St Paul's Bay.

Several TV and radio stations went off the air until generators kicked in, and there was confusion on the roads since no traffic lights were working. Readers also reported mobile phone problems.

The power threw Good Friday processions into chaos. At Mosta, a reader said the procession was speeded up and some people moved their cars to the Church area to provide lighting with their headlights.

At other localities people provided torches and lamps for the processions to proceed.

The airport functioned normally but emergency lights had to be put on in the departure lounge after a blackout.

Malta suffered a nation-wide power cut on March 22. The cause was traced to a fault in Boiler 7 at Marsa power station.