By G. Mudalige, Jadetimes Staff
G. Mudalige is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Technology & Innovation
Did you know that 99% of global digital communications rely on undersea cables? These seemingly fragile cables, spread across 1.4 million kilometers (870,000 miles) of the ocean floor, form the backbone of the internet, connecting continents and allowing us to communicate at lightning speeds. But what happens when these cables break, and how do we keep this crucial network running?
Subsea cables have faced threats from both natural disasters and human activities since the 19th century. For example, in 1929, an earthquake off Newfoundland triggered an underwater landslide, snapping multiple cables over a 13-hour period. It took months to repair the damage. Today, however, advancements in technology have significantly improved repair times, reducing interruptions to the global network.
The most common cause of subsea cable damage today is not natural disasters but human activities. Fishing vessels, trawling nets, and ship anchors account for up to 80% of cable faults. While natural hazards like underwater earthquakes and volcanic eruptions account for a smaller percentage, they still pose significant challenges. In 2022, the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruption destroyed Tonga's only subsea internet cable, leaving the nation offline for weeks.
Repairing a damaged cable is a complex process, but specialized ships and equipment are always on standby. When a fault is detected, a repair vessel is dispatched, typically arriving within 10-12 days. Using grapnels to locate the broken cable, the ship lifts it to the surface for analysis and repair. Once repaired, the cable is lowered back into place, with additional protection in shallower waters to prevent future damage from human activity.
While one broken cable might seem disastrous, redundancy built into the global subsea network ensures that most users never experience any interruptions. Multiple cables are laid to create backups, particularly for countries prone to natural disasters or extreme weather events. For instance, when an earthquake off the coast of Taiwan severed dozens of cables in 2006, remaining cables ensured the region stayed connected.
Subsea cables also offer a window into the deep sea. These cables have inadvertently contributed to scientific discoveries, such as the existence of underwater landslides and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Today, scientists use these cables as acoustic sensors to monitor seismic activity, ocean currents, and even whale migrations.
As the world becomes increasingly connected, ensuring the resilience of subsea cables is more important than ever. Geographic diversity in cable routes and technological advancements in repair methods are vital to keeping the internet running smoothly, even in the face of environmental and human-made challenges.
With climate change increasing the frequency of extreme weather events and human activity pushing further into deep waters, protecting subsea cables is crucial to maintaining our global digital infrastructure.
