Flood in Jordan Disrupts Submarine Cables, Significant RTT Anomalies Detected

Flood in Jordan

On October 15, 2026, a green alert level was declared in Jordan due to flooding. The event began at 10:59:43 local time and affected significant areas of the country, including its northern and central regions. As a result of the flood, deviations in the operation of submarine cables located within a radius of 500 km from the epicenter were recorded.

Submarine Cables in Zone

Several key submarine cables, ensuring communication in the region, are located in the flooded area. Among them:

• BERYTAR, commissioned in 1997, connects Lebanon and Syria through Beirut (262.9 km from the epicenter).
• IMEWE, operational since 2010, with a length of 12,091 km, passes through Tripoli, Lebanon (290.1 km from the epicenter).
• Ebla, with an exit point in Pentaschino, Cyprus, at a distance of 461.3 km from the epicenter.
• UGARIT and UGARIT 2, also with an exit point in Pentaschino, Cyprus (461.3 km).
• MedNautilus Submarine System, commissioned in 2001, with an exit point in Pentaschino, Cyprus (461.3 km).
• Turcyos-2, operational since 2011, passes through Iskele, Cyprus (473.8 km).
• Exelera North, commissioned in 2012, with an exit point in Tzfat, Israel (240.6 km).

Data Monitoring Analysis

The GeoCables monitoring system recorded abnormal changes in signal delay (RTT) on several cables in the flood zone. The most significant deviations are observed on the following lines:

• BERYTAR: RTT increased from 102.1 ms to 154.8 ms (an increase of 52.7 ms, which exceeds the baseline level by 2.4σ).
• IMEWE: RTT rose from 116.4 ms to 166.7 ms (an increase of 50.3 ms, 51.9σ).
• Ebla: RTT increased from 6.5 ms to 132.7 ms (an increase of 126.2 ms, 808.6σ).
• UGARIT 2: RTT rose from 11.8 ms to 133.1 ms (an increase of 121.2 ms, 5.4σ).
• UGARIT: RTT increased from 17.9 ms to 108.0 ms (an increase of 90.2 ms, 2.8σ).
• MedNautilus Submarine System: RTT rose from 73.5 ms to 163.5 ms (an increase of 89.9 ms, 64.7σ).
• Turcyos-2: RTT increased from 104.0 ms to 171.3 ms (an increase of 67.2 ms, 5.5σ).

These data indicate significant impact of a natural phenomenon on submarine telecommunications infrastructure.

Potential consequences

Anomalies on key underwater cables may affect the quality of internet connection and data transmission in the region. An increase in round-trip time (RTT) may hinder user experience, especially in areas such as video conferencing, online gaming, and financial transactions. Additionally, if the flood situation worsens, further disruptions to cable operations are possible, impacting international traffic passing through the region.

Plans for Further Monitoring

The GeoCables team will continue real-time monitoring of the situation to promptly identify any changes in the state of underwater cables. Special attention will be given to cables with the most significant anomalies, such as Ebla, IMEWE, and MedNautilus Submarine System. We will also monitor the development of weather conditions in the region to assess potential risks to infrastructure. Updates will be published as new information becomes available.