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.

Fifteen years ago on February 27, a devastating 8.8 magnitude quake struck southern Chile off the coast of Concepcion, shaking the ground for four minutes and unleashing a tsunami that left 550 dead.

Power has been restored to most of Chile’s 19 million people after the nation’s most disruptive blackout in 15 years

Power was restored to most of Chile's 19 million people Wednesday after the country's most disruptive blackout in 15 years, the government said, as authorities lifted a strict curfew imposed when the outage left 98% of the population without electricity.

As Chile's electricity supply gradually went back to normal Wednesday, one death and an armed robbery were reported following Tuesday's 10-hour blackout resulting in a nationwide curfew.

Prosecutors in Chile say the country will formally request that the United States extradite a Venezuelan man to stand trial for charges related to the abduction and killing of a Venezuelan ex-army officer and opposition figure last year in Chile.