PRAGUE, July 4 (Xinhua) -- A major power outage struck the Czech Republic on Friday, disrupting several regions, including parts of the capital Prague, shortly after noon, according to authorities.

The outage affected eight of the country's 44 high-voltage substations, resulting in power cuts in the Liberec, Central Bohemia and northeast regions and parts of Prague, the Czech Electricity Transmission System (CEPS) reported.

CEPS spokesman Lukas Hrabal said on the social media platform X that the blackout was triggered by a mechanical failure of a phase conductor on a high-voltage line. "The conductor simply fell. We are still investigating the cause," he noted.

The disruption severely impacted transport and public services. "We are currently dealing with a power outage, mainly in Prague and several regions. On several railway lines, trains have come to a halt, and public transportation dependent on electricity is affected," Transport Minister Martin Kupka wrote on X.

Mobile phone coverage and internet access were also disrupted in many areas, complicating emergency communication. The Fire and Rescue Service (HZS) said it was coordinating efforts with regional branches and monitoring potentially high-risk locations. Hospitals remained unaffected thanks to emergency generators, while Prague Airport and major motorway tunnels continued to operate normally.

Power was restored in Prague after 2 p.m., but according to Minister of Industry and Trade Lukas Vlcek, some substations in the north, particularly in the Liberec region, remained offline. Vlcek warned that further outages could not be ruled out, though he emphasized that the national grid remained "robust."

Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced that he had instructed Interior Minister Vit Rakusan to convene the National Crisis Staff at 4 p.m., stressing that restoring electricity and ensuring public safety were top priorities. ■