We often imagine major internet outages being caused by technical failures, cyberattacks, or natural disasters. But what if I told you that one of the most significant internet disruptions in recent history was caused by a 75-year-old woman? Yes, you read that right. Yes, you read that right. In 2011, an elderly woman in Georgia (the country, not the U.S.) accidentally cut off the internet for not just her own country but almost the entire nation of Armenia as well.
The Story Behind the Outage
This incident took place on March 28, 2011. Like many others in rural areas, the woman was scavenging for scrap metal, a common way for some to earn extra money. While digging near the outskirts of the capital city, Tbilisi, she stumbled upon a fiber-optic cable buried underground. Thinking it might be valuable copper, she inadvertently severed the cable, not realizing that it was one of the main lines providing internet service to Georgia and Armenia.
Almost instantly, large parts of both countries went offline. Tens of thousands of internet users found themselves suddenly disconnected, and businesses relying on the web were thrown into chaos. The scale of the disruption was so vast that it affected nearly 90% of Armenia’s internet traffic for several hours.
The Unlikely Culprit
When the authorities traced the issue back to the severed cable, they were undoubtedly surprised by the culprit—a 75-year-old woman armed with nothing more than basic digging tools. Though she had no ill intent, her actions had impacted two nations’ access to the digital world, illustrating just how delicate and interconnected modern technology can be.
The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs quickly apprehended the woman. While she was initially arrested on charges of damaging property, officials soon recognized it was an accident, and she was released. After all, no one expected a simple scavenging trip to lead to an international internet outage!
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Internet Resilience and Lessons Learned
Following the incident, internet providers in both Georgia and Armenia moved swiftly to repair the damage and restore services. It took just a few hours to fix the cable, and life returned to normal. However, this outage taught an important lesson to internet providers and governments—there should be backup systems in place for essential infrastructure. Having multiple routes for internet traffic can help ensure that the loss of a single cable doesn’t cripple an entire region’s connectivity.
For internet users, the outage was an eye-opener. It reminded us all that while the internet feels like a seamless, ever-present force in our lives, it is still tethered to physical infrastructure, which can be disrupted in the most unexpected ways.
Final Thoughts
This story serves as an unexpected reminder of the vulnerabilities in our global digital infrastructure. In a world increasingly dependent on the internet, it’s easy to overlook just how physical the web really is. Beneath the surface of every city, town, and rural village, fiber-optic cables form the backbone of our online lives. While we often think of internet issues being caused by hackers or servers, sometimes it’s the most unexpected people who trigger the biggest disruptions.
It also underscores the importance of securing infrastructure and educating the public about the potential risks of tampering with things like buried cables. Many people, especially in rural areas, may not fully understand the significance of these systems, which can lead to accidental damage. So next time you click “connect,” spare a thought for the real-world networks that make it all possible, and perhaps for the grandmother who once cut them off without even realizing it!
