Microsoft's Azure cloud services have been disrupted by undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea, the US tech giant says.
The company said Azure users would experience delays because of problems with internet traffic moving through the Middle East. Azure is among the world's leading cloud computing platforms.
Microsoft did not explain what might have caused the cuts to the undersea cables. It added that it had rerouted traffic through other paths.
Over the weekend, there were other reports suggesting that undersea cable cuts had affected the United Arab Emirates and countries in Asia.
An update posted on the Microsoft website on Saturday mentioned that Azure traffic going through the Middle East may experience increased latency due to undersea fibre cuts in the Red Sea. It stressed that traffic that does not traverse through the Middle East is not impacted.
Cables laid on the ocean floor transmit data between continents and are often described as the backbone of the internet.
On Saturday, NetBlocks, an organisation that monitors internet access, said a series of subsea cable cuts in the Red Sea had affected internet services in several countries, including India and Pakistan.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Company noted that the cable cuts occurred near the Saudi city of Jeddah and warned that internet services could be affected during peak hours.
On Sunday, NetBlocks confirmed additional disruptions in the United Arab Emirates.
Incidents of undersea cable damage can result from various factors including ships dropping anchors or intentional sabotage.
Previously, in February 2024, multiple communications cables in the Red Sea were cut, which impacted data traffic between Asia and Europe. Notably, this incident followed warnings from Yemen's government about possible sabotage by the Iran-backed Houthi movement, which the Houthis denied.
Comparatively, in the Baltic Sea, multiple undersea cables and gas pipelines have faced damage amidst suspected attacks following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Earlier this year, Swedish authorities seized a ship suspected of damaging a cable running to Latvia, with preliminary investigations suggesting sabotage.
