Chile’s president has declared a state of emergency after an electricity blackout plunged most of the country into darkness on Tuesday, including the capital Santiago.

A sweeping power blackout has left most of Chile in darkness. Tuesday's blackout sent internet and phone services offline, paralyzed businesses and forced evacuations of tunnels and subways in the South American nation.

Millions of people are thought to be without electricity across Chile after a large nationwide power outage. According to the national service for disaster prevention and response (SENAPRED), an area spanning most of the country is impacted, including the capital city, Santiago.