Saboteurs blew up a gas pipeline in Georgia Saturday that knocked out electricity, telephone service and public transportation in Armenia's already beleaguered capital, the government said.
The government, which is at war with Azerbaijan, said "unknown persons" blew up the pipeline in a region of neighboring Georgia populated by Azerbaijanis. Some reports, however, said an accident caused the explosion.After the blast, the subway and electric trolleys came to a standstill in the city of 1.7 million people. The city's radio station and most phones went dead. Blocks of apartment buildings went dark.
Authorities decided to open a dam to allow water from Sevan Lake, a national treasure, to restart a hydroelectric plant. The plant will produce enough electricity to keep bakeries and hospitals operating while the pipeline is fixed, officials said.