Massive Dutch power cut causes chaos, halts Amsterdam flights

THE HAGUE - A massive power cut has caused chaos in and around the Dutch capital Amsterdam, including halting all flights to and from the busy Schiphol International Airport, an airport spokeswoman said.

"We are currently running on emergency power, all flights to and from Schiphol have been halted or are being diverted to other airports," Schiphol's Inge van Rijn told AFP.

Planes were diverted to airports in Belgium and Germany and rail and tram transport in Amsterdam has also been severely disrupted, Dutch media reported.

Hospitals in the capital and the densely-populated North Holland province were also running on emergency power, news reports said.

The massive powercut was set off at around 9:45 am (0845 GMT) during work at an electricity substation at Diemen, southeast of Amsterdam, a spokesman for the Tennet electricity supplier said.

"We are busy restoring high-tension lines and the electricity supply is slowly being restored," Jeroen Brouwers told the NOS public broadcaster.

North Holland is one of the Netherlands' most populous provinces with a population of more than 2.7 million people, many living in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam.