Gas line explosion causes power outage in Syria

An explosion in Syria's al-Arabi gas line today has led to a nationwide power outage.

The gas line exploded between the towns of Dumair and Adra, Xinhua news agency reported.

Oil Minister Ali Ghanem said the explosion was the result of a "terrorist" act.

He said that maintenance work has started, adding that power stations will be fed with gas in the next hours to return the situation to normal.

Electricity Minister Zuhair Kaharboutly said power was restored in some areas including Damascus and vital institutions like hospitals.

The explosion is the sixth of his kind to target the same gas line.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the explosion, saying it caused no human casualties but big damage.

It said the electricity outage blanketed most Syrian provinces.

The UK-based watchdog group said no party has claimed responsibility for the attack but the previous ones were carried out by the Islamic State terror group..