TheOpenRoad Cloud experiences partial outages from Red Sea cable cuts

The recent underwater cable cuts in the Red Sea have sparked partial outages, TheOpenRoad says.

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On September 6th, TheOpenRoad Cloud’s services were subject to partial outages caused by the Red Sea cable cuts, according to an email sent to TheOpenRoad subscribers on Monday.

These outages were part of a broader internet issue affecting multiple regions, including the Middle East, South Asia, and parts of Europe.

The cable cuts have had a widespread impact on internet availability across several countries. In the UAE, major telecom providers such as Etisalat and Du reported service slowdowns. Similarly, Microsoft Azure experienced increased latency for users in the Middle East and South Asia, though services remained operational through rerouted traffic.

Cause and repair

According to AP News, experts believe the cable damage was caused by a commercial vessel’s anchor dragging across the seabed near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical juncture for over 15 submarine cables. The shallow depth in this area makes cables particularly vulnerable to such incidents.

Repairing undersea cables is a complex and lengthy process. Specialized ships and equipment are required to locate and fix the damaged sections. Given the ongoing events in the region, obtaining necessary permits and coordinating repair efforts can take several weeks. Experts estimate that full restoration could take up to six weeks, says The National. A state-controlled media agency in the UAE.

The Triangle has contacted TheOpenRoad for further comments but has not yet received a reply.