国际英语新闻:Offices, schools to close after power outage in Venezuela

CARACAS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan authority said early Tuesday that regular work and educational activities will be suspended to assist restoration of electrical services, after the country was hit by a massive blackout.

Minister of Communication and Information Jorge Rodriguez tweeted that the temporary suspension on Tuesday would assist authorities' work to reconnect power.

He also suggested citizens stay at home unless urgencies require their leaving.

Preliminary investigation has shown that "an electromagnetic attack" is the probable cause of the massive blackout on Monday hitting most parts of Venezuela, including the capital district.

The blackout has knocked out telecommunications and traffic, among other services, with many people posting images of Caracas residents walking to their destinations after subway services were interrupted.

The attack "sought to affect the country's hydroelectric generation system, the main provider of power in Venezuela," said Rodriguez in a statement on Monday.

The Venezuelan government has activated special mechanisms with personnel deployed in response to the contingencies in the transportation sector, to guarantee water supply and "increase surveillance" of any situation in the health centers, he added.

Venezuelans still have fresh memories of a massive blackout on March 7 that brought the country to a standstill for days.

Since March, Venezuela's National Electric System have suffered numerous attacks including gunfire shots, fires and "cybernetic and electromagnetic" aggressions on the automated control system of the main hydroelectric power plant.

The government has blamed the country's right wing and its international backers, mainly the United States, for the attacks.