The resilience of internet service is crucial for ensuring consistent communication, facilitating emergency response in digitally-dependent society. Due to empirical data constraints, there has been limited research on internet service disruptions during extreme weather events. To bridge this gap, this study utilizes observational datasets on internet performance to quantitatively assess extent of internet disruption during two recent extreme weather events. Taking Harris County in United States as study region, we jointly analyzed the hazard severity and the associated internet disruptions in two extreme weather events. The results show that hazard events significantly impacted regional internet connectivity. There exists a pronounced temporal synchronicity between magnitude of disruption and hazard severity: as severity of hazards intensifies, internet disruptions correspondingly escalate, and eventually return to baseline levels post-event. Spatial analyses show internet service disruptions can happen even in areas not directly impacted by hazards, demonstrating that repercussions of hazards extend beyond immediate area of impact. This interplay of temporal synchronization and spatial variance underscores complex relationships between hazard severity and Internet disruption. Socio-demographic analysis suggests vulnerable communities, already grappling with myriad challenges, face exacerbated service disruptions during hazard events, emphasizing the need for prioritized disaster mitigation strategiesfor improving the resilience of internet services. To the best of our knowledge, this research is among the first studies to examine the Internet disruptions during hazardous events using a quantitative observational dataset. Insights obtained hold significant implications for city administrators, guiding them towards more resilient and equitable infrastructure planning.

翻译：互联网服务的韧性对于在依赖数字化的社会中保障持续通信和促进应急响应至关重要。受限于实证数据约束，关于极端天气事件期间互联网服务中断的研究较为有限。为弥补这一空白，本研究利用互联网性能观测数据集，定量评估了两次近期极端天气事件中互联网中断的程度。以美国哈里斯县为研究区域，我们联合分析了两次极端天气事件中的灾害严重程度及其相关的互联网中断。结果显示，灾害事件显著影响了区域互联网连接。中断程度与灾害严重性之间存在显著的时间同步性：随着灾害强度加剧，互联网中断相应升级，并在事件结束后逐步恢复至基线水平。空间分析表明，即使在未直接受灾害影响的区域，也可能发生互联网服务中断，这说明灾害的影响范围超越了直接受灾区域。这种时间同步性与空间差异性的相互作用，揭示了灾害严重性与互联网中断之间的复杂关系。社会人口分析显示，本就面临多重挑战的弱势社群在灾害事件中承受更严重的服务中断，这凸显了优先制定灾害缓解策略以提升互联网服务韧性的必要性。据我们所知，本研究是首批利用定量观测数据集考察灾害事件中互联网中断的研究之一。研究所得洞见对城市管理者具有重要启示，可引导其开展更具韧性与公平性的基础设施规划。