New Research Reveals Vulnerability of Subsea Cables Serving Small Island Nations

By Ocean News & Technology
June 4, 2026

New research led by the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has revealed that the greatest risks to subsea telecommunications cables serving small island nations are often concentrated close to island coastlines, where natural hazards and human activity overlap.

Published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, the study, co-led by Dr. Isobel Yeo and Dr. Mike Clare at NOC, provides the first global assessment focused specifically on the resilience of subsea telecommunications connections for small islands.

The research analyzed more than 5,000 subsea cable faults recorded globally over the past 40 years and combined this with spatial analyses of environmental and human hazards across 24 islands or island groups in the South Pacific, Caribbean and Indian Ocean regions.

The study found that more than 75% of recorded faults on island-connecting cables occur within 300 km of island coastlines, highlighting nearshore regions as key areas of vulnerability and priority locations for resilience planning, monitoring and investment.

Subsea telecommunications cables form the backbone of the global internet, carrying more than 99% of international digital data traffic. For many island nations, a single cable connection can support almost all international communications, internet access, banking systems, healthcare services, tourism operations and emergency response communications.

“Subsea telecommunications cables are the hidden lifelines of our connected world. For small islands, they support everything from healthcare and education to banking, emergency response and contact with family overseas. Our research shows that the greatest risks to these vital systems are often concentrated close to island coastlines, where natural hazards and human activity overlap. By understanding those risks, we can help improve resilience for some of the world’s most vulnerable communities,” said Dr. Isobel Yeo, Senior Research Geoscientist at NOC.

The findings demonstrate that telecommunications resilience is closely linked to economic resilience, healthcare access, disaster preparedness and social connectivity for remote island communities.

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