Most mobile networks and internet communications were cut off on Thursday on Scotland's remote, oil-rich Shetland Islands following what is believed to be an accidental break in their main submarine internet cable.
The UK’s biggest broadband network owner BT Group Plc described it as a “a major incident” but said no malicious activity was suspected in the event, which was being attributed to a trawler boat fishing on the seabed.
The Shetland Islands are located 210 kilometres north-east of the UK and are connected with the mainland via the Shefa-2 fibre optic submarine cable that also links the Faroe and Orkney Islands to Scotland. The cable was deployed in 2007.
A representative for Faroese Telecom said by phone that they believed the damage to be accidental from a passing ship.
“Faroese Telecom spotted the damage via marine tracking being done by a trawler in the area and reported this to the UK Coastguard,” a BT spokesman said by email.
“They are working with us on reroute options as a result of this accidental damage and to repair their cable as soon as possible.”
Scotland's beauty spots most at-risk due to climate change — in pictures
BT said some phone, broadband, TV and mobile services are affected, apologised for any inconvenience, and said that anyone who needed to call 999 should try their landline or their mobile “even if they don’t have signal from their own mobile provider.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the situation is “very serious” for Shetland.
“The Scottish government’s resilience committee has met and is working closely with partner agencies to ensure support for those who need it, and that the cable damage can be repaired and services restored asap,” she tweeted.
MP for Orkney and Shetland Alastair Carmichael said it could be days before power is restored.
Repairs to another cable that connects the Shetland and Faroe Islands were under way after it was damaged last week. That cable is expected to be repaired on Saturday.
Police on the island have asked island residents to avoid making non-urgent calls.
“We are advising people not to make non-urgent calls for the time being so that all available lines can be used for emergencies if required,” Superintendent David Ross said.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Watford 2 (Sarr 50', Deeney 54' pen)
Manchester United 0
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
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MAIN CARD
Bantamweight 56.4kg
Abrorbek Madiminbekov v Mehdi El Jamari
Super heavyweight 94 kg
Adnan Mohammad v Mohammed Ajaraam
Lightweight 60kg
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Light heavyweight 81.4kg
Mahmood Amin v Taha Marrouni
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Siyovush Gulmamadov v Nouredine Samir
Light heavyweight 81.4kg
Ilyass Habibali v Haroun Baka
Three trading apps to try
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
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- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
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- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Bah
Born: 1972
Husband: Emirati lawyer Salem Bin Sahoo, since 1992
Children: Soud, born 1993, lawyer; Obaid, born 1994, deceased; four other boys and one girl, three months old
Education: BA in Elementary Education, worked for five years in a Dubai school
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
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BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
