Wasn’t it in 1972 or something that the telegraph wires melted from a solar EMP? One that bad would do a lot of damage.
The Carrington event in 1859:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=12&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjkir_N04bbAhXr6oMKHQ5kB_8QFgheMAs&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSolar_storm_of_1859&usg=AOvVaw2oPzjbzLHdNUWDHgi_cfU0