Internet, mobile services restored in J&K after 24-hour disruption amid heavy rains

Srinagar: Mobile and internet connectivity was restored across Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday after a 24-hour blackout caused by torrential rains that lashed the region, triggering flash floods, landslides and large-scale disruption to normal life.

The services went down on Tuesday afternoon as incessant downpours damaged crucial power supply lines and telecom infrastructure. The outage affected both voice and data networks across the Union Territory, leaving people cut off at a time of crisis.“Teams worked overnight to restore communication lines in flood-hit areas. Most services are functional now, though a few pockets continue to face intermittent disruptions due to damaged towers and electricity breakdowns,” a senior telecom official said.

The restoration came as a relief for residents who struggled to contact their families and emergency services during one of the worst rain spells in decades. The lack of connectivity hampered coordination of relief efforts.
“Not being able to check on my ailing parents during such a crisis was the most stressful part,” said Shazia, a resident of Srinagar. “The internet blackout meant we had no way of knowing if they were safe.”

Disruption in times of disaster
Communication blackouts during natural disasters have been a recurring challenge in Jammu and Kashmir. Experts say fragile infrastructure, coupled with the region’s mountainous terrain, makes telecom networks highly vulnerable to damage from floods, landslides and snowfall.
“In disaster situations, communication becomes a lifeline. The absence of mobile and internet connectivity significantly slows down response, relief delivery and rescue coordination,” said a disaster management expert in Srinagar.

The latest outage also revived memories of past shutdowns in the region, though most of those were security-related. In 2019, Kashmir witnessed the world’s longest internet blackout following the abrogation of Article 370. Similarly, in the aftermath of the 2014 floods, mobile networks collapsed for several days, delaying relief distribution and leaving thousands unable to reach their families.