Paris is hit by a 'power blackout', claim social media users (2024)

Social media users have claimed Paris has been hit by a power outage - but nothing has been confirmed.

Several users took to X (formerly Twitter) posting videos and pictures of the city suggesting Paris had been left in darkness after a supposed 'blackout'.

However there has been doubt cast over these videosallegedly showing the French capital in darkness.

The rumoured outage comes as the 2024 Olympicsendured a turbulent start including travel chaos as trains were brought to a halt amid a 'massive arson attack'.

Heavy showers battering the city also wreaked havoc, forcing several sporting events to be postponed - while Friday night's opening ceremony received heavy criticism.

Social media users have claimed Paris has been hit by a power outage - but nothing has been confirmed

🚨🇫🇷BREAKING: MAJOR POWER OUTAGE HITS PARIS

Reports indicate a massive power outage has struck Paris.

Details are still emerging, but the large-scale blackout could disrupt plans for the Olympics.pic.twitter.com/rOqCiRs3VC

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) July 27, 2024

The Paris 2024 Olympics also recently faced backlash for their opening ceremony (pictured)

Olympic venues throughout Paris suffered heavy rain on Saturday

Top tennis stars including Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz had their games held up as many matches were washed out and delayed on Friday.

The men's street skateboarding competition was also postponed and rescheduled for Monday as the grounds were waterlogged.

Read More Thousands threaten to not watch Olympics with #boycottOlympics trending after opening ceremony

The latest rainfall led to the reappearance of masses of brollies and rain ponchos and long lines outside Olympic stadia.

One fan Marc Hobes, 25, from Paris, said: 'This is not typical weather. For a tennis fan like me, this is very bad luck and also for Paris.

'We want to show off the Olympics to the world in one of the best cities, but the rain spoiled the opening ceremony and now the sport.

'But I was at Wimbledon last month and the rain was there too. So it is not just Paris.'

Debbie Lyons, 42, from Wembley who was with her French partner Pierre, said: 'We moan about the weather back at home and now the French might understand why we are miserable most summers.

'Pierre and me are going to Nice tomorrow. The sun should be out there.'

The poor weather also caused issues for athletes in the women's cycling, with several competitors crashingon the capital’s rain-soaked streets during the time trial.

Spectators take shelter from the rain as the wet weather delays the start of play on the outside courts at the Roland-Garros Stadium

The men's street skateboarding competition was put off until Monday after heavy rain made conditions too dangerous

New stunning images from last night showed Paris at its finest, despite being pelted by heavy rain

Sports fans faced tough conditions during the first 24 hours due to poor weather

The ponchos and umbrellas were back out in force on Saturday after a rainy opening ceremony on Friday night

Thousands have taken to X (formerly Twitter) sharing #boycottOlympics and #boycottParis2024, which has been trending throughout the day.

In particular, the appearance of a 'naked blue man' among a scene likened to the Last Supper angered many watching including Christians.

Read More Olympics washout: Games battles downpours as Christians slam opening ceremony's 'gross mockery'

One wrote: 'What a disgraceful opening to the 2024 Olympics #BoycottOlympics.'

Another declared they 'didn't even care about the Olympics' but were now '100 per cent boycotting'.

'Are you serious?!? This is blasphemous and God will not be mocked! #BoycottOlympics.'

'Respect Jesus Christ and reject any mockery of Jesus' Last Supper. Retweet if you stand with #BoycottOlympics.

'The spectacle was despicable, offensive and extremely vile. #BoycottOlympics #BoycottParis2024.

'Will this be the first Olympics that never was? Who will be the first country brave enough to boycott? Fingers crossed #BoycottOlympics.'

Play was suspended at Roland Garros on all but two courts due to the heavy rain

Anna Wintour was spotted at Roland Garros as she watchedIna Swiatek begin her campaign for a medal

The all outdoor ceremony received backlash as heavy rain hampered proceedings and caused technical issues

Thousands of social media users have threatened to boycott the nascent Paris Olympics after its opening ceremony was widely panned and #boycottOlympics trended on X. One baffling aspect was the involvement of a 'naked blue man' (pictured)

Drag Race France host Nicky Doll walks down the catwalk in the pouring rain during last night's opening ceremony

Elsewhere US Catholic Bishop Robert Barron slammed the opening ceremony for making a 'gross mockery' of Christianity

Though many took issue with the segment of the ceremony for its perceived mockery of the Last Supper, The Olympic Games' official X account suggested otherwise, labelling the 'naked blue man' an 'interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus'.

Dionysus is the Greek god of fertility and has no relevance to the Last Supper.

French actor and singer Phillippe Katerine, who played the controversial part, dismissed critics.

He told BFM TV: 'It wouldn't be fun if there were no controversy. Wouldn't it be boring if everyone agreed on this planet?'

The French Catholic church has since spoken out against the segment, with the Conference of French bishops releasing a statement.

Catholic Bishop Robert Barron, from the US, also reacted to the video online saying: 'I love the Olympics, so I turn on the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

It read: 'This ceremony has unfortunately included scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity, which we very deeply deplore.'

'And what do I see now? It's in Paris, France, a city I love, I spent three years as a doctoral student there.

The Olympic flag was raised upside down in a more obvious failure

The ceremony followed the journey of the Olympic torch through this masked individual, who parcoured their way across Paris

Many were also upset by the subsequent performance by French heavy metal band Gojira (seen), who played 'Ah! Ça Ira' - a popular song during the French Revolution

Red smoke and ribbons billow across Paris' rooftops during a performance involving multiple headless Marie Antoinettes

The band were joined by opera singer Marina Viotti as well as a plethora of beheaded figures representing the slain Queen Marie Antoinette (pictured)

'I see this gross mockery of the last supper and I won't describe it any further.

'France felt evidently as it's trying to put its best cultural foot forward, that the right thing to do is to mock this very central moment in Christianity where Jesus at his last supper gives his body and blood in anticipation of the cross.

'It's presented through this gross or flippant mockery. France which used to be called the oldest daughter of the church.'

Many were also disgruntled by the subsequent performance by French heavy metal band Gojira, who played 'Ah! Ça Ira' - a popular song during the French Revolution.

The band were joined by opera singer Marina Viotti as well as a plethora of beheaded figures representing the slain Queen Marie Antoinette.

The sporting event was also hit with travel chaos on it's first day, as a 'assive arson attack sparked travel chaos in the city.

Passengers gather around the departure boards at the Gare Montparnasse train station in Paris on July 26, 2024 as France's high-speed rail network was hit by malicious acts disrupting the transport system hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Hours away from the grand opening ceremony of the Olympics, high-speed rail traffic to the French capital was severely disrupted on Friday by what officials described as 'criminal actions' and sabotage

Passengers queue at the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras station in central London. French rail officials say several lines have been hit by 'malicious acts' which have heavily disrupted services ahead of the Olympics

Only hours before the opening ceremony on the River Seine on Thursday,fires were started at key installations, bringing trains to a halt and impacting around 800,000 passengers.

The Gare du Nord – the main Eurostar station in Paris – was hit by the attacks on the rail network, a spokesman for SNCF, France's rail operator confirmed.

This caused the cancellation of multiple services, including ones meant to be bringing sports fans into the French capital.

'Numerous stations are affected, including Garde du Nord, with services across France cancelled or delayed,' he said.

Paris is hit by a 'power blackout', claim social media users (2024)

FAQs

What caused the Paris blackout? ›

Because it coincided with the Paris Olympics, which had just opened, it quickly shot to the top of the hit list. In the afternoon of July 28, the power company ENEDIS announced on X that the main cause of the blackout was a "technical anomaly that led to a grid failure," which lasted only 10 minutes.

What happens during a blackout in a city? ›

Traffic signals will stop working during an outage, creating traffic congestion and possibly dangerous intersections. Remember that equipment such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and elevators may not work during a power outage. If it is hot outside, take steps to remain cool.

What is power failure or blackout? ›

A power failure, also known as a power cut, power outage or blackout, is a short or long term loss of electric power to an area.

What would you do if there was a blackout? ›

Power Outage Tips

Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges. Have alternate plans for refrigerating medicines or using power-dependent medical devices. Check with local officials about heating and cooling locations open near you.

Why is Paris losing people? ›

The spectacular fall in the birth rate, the lack of housing and the growing number of separations are just some of the reasons behind the loss of 73,000 Parisians in six years. In 2015, Paris had a population of 2,206,000; by 2021, it had just 2,133,111.

Was there a blackout in Paris in 2024? ›

The city of Paris did not suffer a prolonged blackout after the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony.

What is the purpose of a power blackout? ›

Blackouts are also used as a public safety measure, such as to prevent a gas leak from catching fire (for example, power was cut to several towns in response to the Merrimack Valley gas explosions), or to prevent wildfires around poorly maintained transmission lines (such as during the 2019 California power shutoffs).

How long do blackouts last? ›

Utility workers can fix a minor incident, such as a fallen power line, in around 2-3 hours. But when the cause of a blackout is severe weather or a natural disaster, you can expect to be out for several days and even months in some extreme cases.

What is the difference between a blackout and a power outage? ›

That's why it's a blackout, because if you go outside and look around, it's black because there are no lights on anywhere. However, a power outage is generally used when maybe a neighborhood or a particular house loses electricity. So that's the main difference here between a blackout and a power outage.

How to survive without electric? ›

Basic Survival Tips if Your Power Goes Out
  1. Use a flashlight for emergency lighting instead of candles.
  2. Turn off electrical appliances you were using when the power went out.
  3. Avoid opening the refrigerator and freezer so they will stay cold.
  4. Listen to your battery-powered radio for updated information.

Is the US power grid at risk? ›

America's power grid is facing a serious reliability crisis. Power demand is expected to rise, while power generation is struggling to keep pace with increased electricity usage. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) raised concerns for strains to power grid resources “…

How to survive global blackout? ›

Drink plenty of water, even if you do not feel thirsty. Put on layers of warm clothing if it is cold outside. Never burn charcoal for heating or cooking indoors. Never use your oven as a source of heat.

How did the Black plague reach Paris? ›

The Black Death was present in France between 1347-1352. The bubonic plague pandemic, known as the Black Death, reached France by ship from Italy to Marseille in November 1347, spread first through Southern France, and then continued outwards to Northern France.

What was the main cause of rioting in Paris? ›

The high price of bread

was the immediate cause for rioting in Paris.

What caused the great blackout? ›

On August 14, 2003, a transmission line fault in Ohio caused by contact with a tree cascaded into what would become one of the largest outages in North American history plunging more than 50 million people in eight states and Ontario into darkness.

What caused the siege of Paris? ›

The conflict began on July 19, 1870, when France declared war. The French army proved woefully unprepared and suffered a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Sedan, leaving open the road to Paris. By September 19, the Germans had completely surrounded the city and begun a siege that was to last more than four months.

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