Starlink Critical for Rural Connectivity in Natural Disasters

WASHINGTON, Oct.13, 2026 – Starlink filled the communication gap when Hurricane Helene knocked out southwest Virginia’s networks two years ago.

In his Oct. 9 newsletter, Rep. Morgan Griffith (R‑Va.) said the 2024 storm destroyed cell service and washed away fiber lines across the Ninth District in Southwest Virginia, leaving families unable to reach loved ones and first responders struggling to coordinate rescues.

“Helene devastated our public communications networks,” he wrote. 

“The disaster disabled services provided by our cell phone carriers. Further, the floods that swamped our region also washed away fiber optic infrastructure.”

With outages lasting days, Griffith said Wise County’s Health Wagon relied on SpaceX’s Starlink system while assisting residents in Damascus. The group used a portable unit to restore high‑speed connectivity for medical staff.

“This episode showed that even in times of emergency, cell phone users can take advantage of LEO technologies,” he wrote.

Griffith said Starlink’s low‑Earth‑orbit network is especially valuable in mountainous and rural regions where fiber installation is difficult and expensive. He noted Amazon plans to launch a similar LEO service in Virginia in 2027.

“As the recovery from Helene continues, I remain committed to expanding our broadband capabilities through LEO technologies to prepare our region for the next Helene,” Griffith wrote.