Canary Islands Declares Technological Emergency

Overview

The Canary Islands government has officially declared a technological emergency following a severe and widespread system failure that occurred on June 24, 2025.

The outage, caused by a major data disk corruption, impacted over 1,250 servers and disrupted critical services across the region.

Key Functions Affected

• Payroll processing
• Citizen online services
• Digital signatures
• Judicial activities
• Emergency response systems
• Internal communications

Implications

The outage has serious implications for public administration, especially in sectors like health, education, and social welfare, where timely data access is essential.

Government Response

The government’s decision to declare an emergency enables rapid measures to repair and stabilize the affected digital infrastructure.

"This crisis threatens essential services, including emergency response and public payments, making swift action a priority," officials stated.

Measures Implemented

• Urgent contracting of repair services
• Staffing boosts, including additional personnel and work-hour allowances for digital emergency teams

Broader Context

This intervention highlights the vulnerability of digital systems that underpin public services today.

As the Canary Islands rely heavily on technology for daily functioning, the resolution process could take months.

The declaration aims to ensure that resources and powers are mobilized quickly to minimize disruption and restore normal operations for residents and government workers alike.