Caracas plunges into massive blackout

[Caracas] Huge parts of sprawling metropolitan Caracas plunged into dark on Sunday for about 45 minutes, in the fourth such blackout in just over a month.

The loss of power hit nearby towns such as La Guaira. It is home to the international airport that serves metro Caracas and its six million people.

The state power company CORPOELEC did not give any explanation for the problem, which hit around midday local time or 1600 GMT.

On July 31, a three-hour blackout left 60 per cent of Caracas in the dark, according to the power company.

The South American country is in a crippling economic crisis.

Many states have regular blackouts. And Zulia state has power rationing that amounts to a 12-hour daily blackout.

Venezuela has the world's largest proven crude oil reserves - and the highest inflation. It has experienced crushing shortages of food, medicine and capital under socialist President Nicolas Maduro.

AFP