(RTTNews) - Russian natural gas supplies to the Balkans were reduced Wednesday following a blast, caused by landslides, on a major transit pipeline in Moldova.

The explosion occurred in Tiraspol in the southern district of Causeni, a region controlled by separatists, at 5:30 a.m. local time.

It formed a crater measuring 1,080 square feet and was heard as far as 10 kilometers away, Moldova's emergency situations department said. Nobody was injured, it added.

Regional authorities said that a landslide had caused the explosion after incessant rain in the hilly region.

Fire-fighters struggled for hours to extinguish flames that flared 165 feet into the air.

Russia's official news agency reported that gas supplies to the Balkans were suspended after the explosion.
Russian gas giant Gazprom said gas flow to Balkan states through Moldova was down by 40 percent. Gas supply through the company's Blue Stream pipeline to Turkey was increased to compensate for supply disruptions, it added.

Naftogaz Ukrainy said its subsidiary, Ukrtransgaz, was cutting by 30 percent supplies of Russian gas to the Balkans because of the explosion.

Romania is not experiencing any reduction in natural gas imports, state-controlled pipeline operator Transgaz said Wednesday.

Bulgaria is getting Russian gas via alternative pipelines, state-owned Bulgargaz said.

The gas delivery to Moldova is not affected, as the gas transit in that country is carried through other pipes, according to the national natural gas transmission system Moldovagaz.

The Ananyev-Tiraspol-Izmail pipeline, running from Russia through the Ukraine and Moldova to the Balkans, meets most of the gas demands of Bulgaria and Romania. It also serves a part of Turkey's needs.

by RTT Staff Writer

For comments and feedback: contact editorial@rttnews.com