GUWAHATI
Telecom towers in Assam and Tamil Nadu have a common problem; they are highly vulnerable to cyclonic winds and flooding, a study by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure said.
The New Delhi-based global coalition comprises 72 members from national governments, international organisations and the private sector.
The coalition’s Disaster Risk and Resilience Assessment Framework, developed in collaboration with the Department of Telecommunications and the National Disaster Management Authority, assessed telecom resilience in five high-risk States — Assam, Gujarat, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand.
The study mapped 48,416 telecom towers across Tamil Nadu and found 57% face high or very high cyclonic wind risk, with major concentrations in Chennai, Chengalpattu, and Tiruvallur. Along with Kanchipuram, Chennai and Chengalpattu also have the highest concentrations of towers exposed to flooding (33% State-wide).
About 14% of the towers are exposed to storm surges exceeding six meters, particularly in Kanchipuram, Thanjavur, and Tirunelveli, the telecom study report said.
Of the 18,388 telecom towers mapped in Assam, 83% were situated in very high cyclonic wind zones, 43% in areas with high flood exposure, and 5% in areas with high landslide exposure.
The report identified Nagaon, Barpeta, Lakhimpur and Tinsukia among districts particularly prone to flooding, while highlighting landslide exposure affecting telecom towers in Kamrup (Metropolitan), and Dima Hasao.
According to the report, Odisha’s telecom towers face threats similar to Tamil Nadu — 57% are exposed to high and very high cyclonic winds, 14% to storm-surge exposure exceeding six metres, and 13% exposed to flooding.
In Gujarat and Uttarakhand, 28% (12,650 structures) and 25% (2,440) of telecom towers are exposed to very high cyclonic winds, respectively. While 12% of Gujarat’s telecom towers face flood exposure, 10% of those in Uttarakhand are located in areas with high landslide susceptibility.
Additionally, all towers in Assam and Uttarakhand, and 12% of towers in Gujarat, are located in high and very high seismic zones (Zone IV and V).
Vital for growth
The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure said telecom resilience is a system-level challenge. Tower exposure is only one aspect — networks can suffer severe outages without direct tower damage when flooding disrupts power, fibre and backhaul connectivity, road access, and generator fuel supplies.
“Telecommunications is vital for economic growth and social development… the sector has contributed about 15% to global GDP in the past decade and is projected to reach a $2.8 trillion market by 2030. In India, with 1.2 billion subscribers, telecommunications enable last-mile connectivity and essential services, and 5G is expected to add $450 billion to the economy from 2023 to 2040,” the report said.
The assessment highlights vulnerabilities in power and last-mile connectivity, as well as gaps in disaster preparedness and coordination, given that reliable connectivity is crucial for early warnings, emergency response, healthcare access, and livelihoods, Amit Prothi, Director General, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, said.
“These figures describe the exposure of tower locations to hazards; they do not mean that every exposed tower will sustain damage or become non-operational during a disaster,” Mr. Prothi told The Hindu.
“Our assessment clearly demonstrates the importance of understanding overlapping hazards at the local level. In Nowboicha (Revenue Circle) of Assam’s Lakhimpur district, for instance, it identifies 8% of telecommunications towers as exposed to the combination of seismic Zone V, high flood, and high cyclone hazards,” he said.
“Field consultations in the State highlighted inundation of diesel generator sets and associated infrastructure alongside river erosion affecting tower foundations. Together, these findings underline the need to protect not only towers but also the power supplies, access routes, and other infrastructure on which connectivity depends,” Mr. Prothi said.
The coalition’s work emphasises resilience assessment across interconnected systems, rather than only at the level of individual towers or cables, he further said.
“The experience of Cyclone Fani, which struck Odisha in May 2019, illustrates the consequences of connectivity disruptions. Only four of 204 base transceiver stations in Puri remained operational, severely disrupting communications for citizens, government officials and first responders,” Mr. Prothi said.
Across the Fani-affected districts, 6,058 base transceiver stations were non-functional for one to two weeks due to power outages, 381 towers and equipment were damaged, and 450 km of optical fibre cable linked to road damage and restoration work were affected. The damage and losses to telecommunications were estimated at $63.5 million.
Protection and backup
The coalition recommended combining stronger physical protection with backup networks, reliable power, and better coordination. Practical measures include raising generators to reduce flood exposure, providing flood doors and waterproof cable connections, strengthening tower and antenna design, and maintaining adequate battery backup.
It also recommended assessing requirements for temporary communications systems, including ‘Cells on Wheels’ and other deployable technologies. “Alternative power arrangements, such as micro-grids at critical telecommunications sites, can support service continuity,” Mr. Prothi said.
The northeastern States should plan for multiple hazards together and account for the dependence of telecommunications on power, roads, and other infrastructure, he said. “District- and sub-district-level hazard mapping can help identify critical sites, prioritise investment and determine where backup connectivity is most needed. In hilly areas, tower siting, foundations, and structural design should reflect local slope conditions and seismic hazards,” he said.
The study also underscored the importance of alternative communication routes and locally available restoration capacity. It recommended support for satellite connectivity in mountainous regions, including future connectivity through low Earth orbit satellite constellations, alongside temporary networks and alternative communication devices for village heads and disaster-response volunteers.
“The roadmap calls for assessing maintenance and restoration resource needs every 25-50 km, while also prioritising fuel supply and strategic storage in vulnerable areas,” Mr. Prothi said.