The telephone and internet communication networks disrupted by the recent disaster are expected to be fully restored by tomorrow (04), according to Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne.
The Ministry of Digital Economy, the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission and all telecommunication service providers are working to expedite restoration efforts. The Deputy Minister said that landslides and flooding had disrupted provincial fibre connections at 11 locations, but services at nine of these points were restored within 24 hours with direct intervention from the Ministry. All provincial connections are now operational, with traffic rerouted through alternative fibre paths where intermediate points remain affected.
More than 4,000 transmission towers became inactive due to power failures and fibre disruptions. Approximately 2,800 towers have been restored, while 949 remain inactive primarily because of ongoing power outages. Service providers are working with authorities to resolve the issues as quickly as possible, with support from the Tri-Forces in accessing tower sites and providing temporary power.
The Deputy Minister noted that the initial difficulties faced by the public on November 28 were mitigated as fibre connections were rapidly restored by the following day. Remaining disruptions are concentrated in the Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Puttalam and Vavuniya districts, with Nuwara Eliya and Kandy being the most affected. Authorities expect connectivity in Nuwara Eliya and Puttalam to exceed 75 percent by tomorrow morning, while Kandy is projected to improve from 65 percent to around 70 percent.
He stressed that communication is vital for public safety and reassurance during emergencies, adding that more than 80 percent of disruptions have already been resolved and full restoration is expected by tomorrow.
