ISTANBUL, Aug 21– Eastern Libya was hit by a widespread blackout late Thursday, leaving large parts of the region without power, according to local media and footage from affected areas, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.
Large sections of Benghazi were plunged into darkness, while footage from Marj showed streets and neighbourhoods without electricity.
Local reports said the outage affected cities and towns across much of eastern Libya.
Later, the Electricity Ministry in Libya’s eastern-based government appointed by the House of Representatives said several generation units had returned to service, allowing electricity supplies to begin recovering gradually.
The ministry said power had been restored to Benghazi’s 1,200-bed hospital and to several neighbourhoods in the southern part of the city.
Technical teams were continuing work across generation, transmission and distribution networks to restore electricity to the remaining affected areas.
The ministry said loads were being brought back gradually to protect the stability of the power grid.
Earlier, it said technical teams were working to determine the cause of the outage.
Libya has seen deteriorating security and public services in recent weeks, including conflicts in the western cities of Zawiya and Sorman, drone attacks on oil facilities in Zawiya and a severe electricity crisis.
Two rival governments have contested power in Libya for years. Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah’s internationally recognised Government of National Unity is based in Tripoli and administers western Libya.
The country remains divided between the Tripoli-based government and a rival administration appointed by the House of Representatives and headed by Osama Hammad in Benghazi.
The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has sought to resolve political disputes that have delayed long-awaited national elections, which Libyans hope will help end years of political division and armed conflict following the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.
