Power has been restored to most of Chile’s 19 million people after the nation’s most disruptive blackout in 15 years

Power was restored to most of Chile's 19 million people Wednesday after the country's most disruptive blackout in 15 years, the government said, as authorities lifted a strict curfew imposed when the outage left 98% of the population without electricity.

A sweeping blackout plunged most of Chile into darkness Tuesday, stranding commuters, knocking the internet offline and paralyzing businesses and daily life as officials scrambled to restore power. The government declared a state of emergency alongside a mandatory nighttime curfew that will last until 6 a.