Broken fiber and power futages disrupt Sri Lanka communication networks: Deputy Minister

Colombo, Nov. 29 (Daily Mirror) - The Deputy Minister of Digital Technology, Eranga Weeraratne, has attributed widespread communication problems across Sri Lanka to broken fiber cables and power outages caused by ongoing adverse weather conditions.

He explained that restoration efforts are underway, but progress has been hampered by active landslides and flooding in affected areas. “Fiber connections have been disconnected in several places due to landslides and floods. Many repair attempts began yesterday morning, but some locations remain difficult to access. However, numerous lines have already been restored, and teams are continuing maintenance work,” the Deputy Minister said.

He provided examples of ongoing repairs:

The Passara-A cable was broken in four locations; three were repaired by yesterday, and the final section is being worked on today.

A cable in Kadugannawa faced delays due to active landslides, despite support from the army; repair work resumed this morning.

The Kurunegala–Chilaw fiber line has also been broken, with repairs underway since early today.

“We hope to restore all fiber connections within a few hours once teams can safely access the affected areas,” Deputy Minister Weeraratne said.

He also noted that power outages in several regions are contributing to the communication disruptions. Restoration of both electricity and fiber networks is ongoing, but officials caution that full recovery may take time while landslides and floods persist.