News
Widespread network and electricity failures cut communication
View(s):By Tharushi Weerasinghe
Widespread network failures causing issues in communication, and electricity failures and disconnections were reported in several parts of the country during the past three days.
Network disruptions were also reported across several districts. SLT Acting CEO Imantha Wijekoon said major failures occurred in Nuwara Eliya, Hatton, Nawalapitiya, Badulla and Bandarawela after landslides damaged core fibre cables. “The core fibre is like a highway – this is where all our data traffic flows through. When the main Sri Lanka broadband cable was cut, those areas were completely isolated,” he explained.
“There were no communications through any operator at that point, but services were restored today,” he said.
Mr Wijekoon added that a critical situation had emerged in the Central Province as only one key link remained intact. “If that was damaged, we would have lost the entire province – and connections to the North –completely.” While the core network has now been re-established, disruptions continue in about 30 small towns in the central and eastern provinces, and in Puttalam. These outages are due to failures in secondary fibre networks, submerged locations, or the lack of electricity.
“We are working on restoring these networks as soon as we can access them. Most will be restored within the next 18 hours,” he assured.
Dialog also reiterated that the disruptions were caused by site flooding, damages to the fibre backbone, and power failures. “Several areas that were initially affected have already been restored,” read a statement received in response to questions posed by the Sunday Times.
“At present, Nuwara Eliya and Badulla continue to experience interruptions, and our teams are working diligently to restore services as quickly and safely as possible.”
While limited access due to flooding and ongoing power outages affected restoration efforts, services were being restored as conditions allow while relief packages had also been provided to customers.
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) reported more than 44,000 breakdowns islandwide on Saturday night, with numbers fluctuating constantly.
An officer on the 1987 hotline told the Sunday Times that some lines had been deliberately disconnected due to heavy submersion. “Where areas are completely underwater, even generators won’t work, so communication breakdowns will happen entirely. It is difficult to guarantee when re-connection can happen or for which areas,” the officer said.
Breakdown teams were dispatched based on incoming calls, and connections were restored only where the risk of electrocution or accidents was minimal. “We are prioritising lines that support disaster response and can be connected with the least risk,” the officer added.
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