If you are finding it very difficult to access overseas websites, don't blame your service provider or your computer.

The connection to these sites are down due to international links being disrupted by the earthquake in southern Taiwan yesterday. Several underseas cables are believed to have been damaged.

Most of the local internet access to all overseas websites came to a snail's pace at about 4am today.

This means access to popular web-based email providers such as Yahoo and Hotmail are almost impossible.

The instant messaging service was also down.

Internet service provider TM Net said the 7.1 Richter magnitude Taiwan earthquake caused submarine cable fault on Asia Pacific Cable Network 2 links between Shantou, China and Tanshui, Taiwan, and between Lantau in Hong Kong and Chongming, China.

Diverting Internet traffic

"This has caused outages at several TM Net international transit and peering links, mainly to the said countries," it said in an announcement posted in its website today.

"As a result, Internet users in Malaysia and other parts of Asia may be experiencing some delay when assessing content and websites hosted outside of Malaysia, especially in US, Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea and Europe," it added.

TM Net has taken immediate action to divert traffic through other back-up links to reduce the traffic congestion.

TM Net also said that the international providers were carrying out immediate restoration works to rectify the problem.

It said it will keep all local Internet users posted on the latest development.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused whilst at the same time, we would like to assure you that we are doing all that is necessary in order to restore the service as soon as possible," it said.

TM Net customers can call 1-300-88-9515 or e-mail custcare@tm.net.my for further enquiries.

Bad connection up to three weeks?

Another local service provider Jaring also informed its customers that its international link has been slow since 3.45am today.

It said that while the telecommunication provider was working on rectifying the problem, users may experience slow access to/from overseas sites during peak hours.

"We apologize for any inconvenience caused," it added in an announcement in its website.

Meanwhile reports from Taiwan suggest that the repair works to the cables could take three weeks.

"However quality will improve day by day,'' said Lin Jen-hung, vice general manager of Chunghwa Telecom Co., Taiwan's largest phone company, as quoted by the AP news wire.