"First Time in 121 Years" Millions Flock to Witness Spectacular Total Solar Eclipse

[Anchor]

A total solar eclipse, where the moon completely blocks the sun, has been observed in Europe for the first time in 121 years. Millions of tourists flocked across Europe, with Spain offering the most perfect view of the spectacle.

Correspondent Kwon Yeongin reports from Paris.

[Reporter]

As the final speck of sunlight disappears behind the moon, cheers and applause erupt.

At around 8:30 p.m. local time yesterday (the 12th), a total solar eclipse occurred in northern Spain, completely obscuring the sun.

[Tomasz Czarnecki / Polish Tourist: It was an incredible experience. It was well worth driving 2,700 kilometers all the way from Poland just to see the eclipse directly here. It was truly a wonderful experience.]

In particular, as Spain experienced its first total solar eclipse in 121 years since 1905, more than 5 million tourists poured into the country.

[Patty Jefferson / American Tourist: Coming from Texas, I couldn't imagine a better backdrop than a beach here in Spain.]

While the most flawless total solar eclipse took place in parts of Spain and Iceland, other European regions such as France and the UK also witnessed eclipses blocking over 90 percent of the sun, creating a buzz across the continent.

In Paris, growing interest in the solar eclipse made special solar-viewing glasses nearly impossible to find on the market.

[Michael / Paris Resident: Stores ran out of glasses, so everyone struggled hard to get them. Masks... no. An eyeglasses craze broke out. People didn't know what to do.]

Spectacular scenes unfolded against major tourist landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris and Big Ben in London. Such an eclipse will not be seen again in the UK and France until after 2080.

[Christina Danielski / Swedish Tourist: It was fantastic. The sun was so beautiful. I have never seen anything like this. It was truly an amazing sight.]

Concerns had been raised that the total solar eclipse might limit solar power generation in Europe, which has recently been suffering from power shortages, but the actual impact was estimated to have been minimal.

(Video reporting: Kim Si-nae, Video editing: Cho Mu-hwan)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.