The hunt has begun for the cause of a massive blackout across Spain, Portugal and parts of France that halted trains, bank machines and traffic lights, in one of Europe's biggest ever power system collapses.

Electricity has returned to most of Spain and Portugal but with continued disruptions on the second day after an unknown failure caused a massive blackout across much of western Europe.

MADRID (AP) — The cause of Spain and Portugal’s widespread blackouts remained a mystery on Tuesday, with some isolated disruption remaining after power was largely restored. One of Europe’s most severe blackouts grounded flights, paralyzed train systems, disrupted mobile communications and shut down ATMs across the Iberian Peninsula on Monday.