Earlier this year two telecom cables located in the Mediterranean were severed by passing ships. This is an extremely rare occurrence, which is why a second incident is cause for major concern.
https://gizmodo.com/perpetrators-of-cut-undersea-cable-discovered-not-godz-379310
A total of three out of four cables were severed this time around, leaving up to 65% of India without internet and phone service. Services to Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Taiwan and Pakistan have also been heavily impacted. If that fourth line goes we are talking about a complete blackout of the Middle East.
The cause for the damage is unknown at this time, although some believe recent seismic activity in the area could be to blame. Either way, the cables won’t be fixed until the end of December at least—leaving millions of people in digital limbo…again. [BBC]
