Pipeline sabotage deprives 300,000 people in Baghdad of water

BAGHDAD (AFP) Aug 17, 2003
Sabotage of a water pipeline Sunday caused huge floods in parts of Baghdad and deprived 300,000 people of running water, the International Committee of the Red Cross said.

ICRC spokeswoman Nada Dumani said a rocket-propelled grenade hit an open-air section of a 1.6-metre (5.3-ft) diameter pipeline linking the Sabah Missan pumping station with the eastern Baghdad district of Rasafa.

Technicians from Baghdad's water company have isolated the damaged part of the pipe and were to continue repairs on Monday and Tuesday, Dumani told AFP.

"We heard an explosion at 7:30 am (0330 GMT) and when we arrived on the scene we found a 40 centimetre wide hole in the pipe and water flowing out on to the road and around," police officer Majid Hamid told AFP.

According to Hamid, the cause of the blast was an "explosive placed under the pipe" and not an RPG.

"This explosion has cut the supply of drinking water to most parts of Rasafa and we opened a second pipe to provide water for people who came looking for water with jerry cans," the policeman said.

Local residents, sweltering in scorching summer temperatures made worse by power outages cutting air conditioning, were quick to take advantage of the sabotage, merrily swimming in the improvised pool.

TERRA.WIRE