Cut Off From the Modern World

Betty says,

"Literally, my city and neighboring cities were cut off from the modern world. A vandal or vandals maliciously went underground to cut off four fiber-optic lines in south San Jose; three counties to the south were totally cut off from communication to the rest of the world, over 50,000 households were affected. Unfortunately my home is one of the 50,000.

For 18 hours, there was no Internet, no cell phone and no regular landline. Emergency 911 was disabled, banks closed, ATM machine stopped working, gas stations took cash only, stores could not scan the prices from their computer, credit card sales went out of the window; hospitals postponed all non-emergency surgeries. A local emergency was declared; instructions were given over the radio and television for residents to go to the police station, fire station, or flag down police cars if there’s emergency, 911 systems did not work. See report in San Jose Mercury News http://www.mercurynews.com/valley/ci_12106300

I stayed home for the whole day; it was quiet other than the radio and television. I cut down a few rabbits and worked on our tax return.

After 18 hours, phones and Internet connection got back to normal. Welcome back, modern world!"