Mexican oil and gas pipelines hit again by explosions

By Imelda Medina

MALTRATA, Mexico (Reuters) - Six explosions caused by sabotage hit pipelines in Mexico on Monday, disrupting oil and natural gas supplies and forcing thousands from their homes, following similar attacks in July by leftist rebels.

Flames shot up 30 feet and black smoke billowed from one explosion at the Balastrera gas pipeline near the town of Maltrata in Veracruz state, as firefighters struggled to control the blaze there.

Mexico's state-owned energy monopoly Pemex said there were no injuries from the six blasts, most of which were in Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico.

Some pipelines were hit in several places. It was not immediately clear if bombs had been used.

State civil protection authorities said 15,000 people had been evacuated from neighboring villages and towns.

In July, the Popular Revolutionary Army, a leftist guerrilla group known by its Spanish initials EPR, staged four bomb attacks on Pemex pipelines carrying natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, crude oil and gasoline.

Since then, Mexico has deployed soldiers and federal police to protect pipelines but President Felipe Calderon has said it is almost impossible to completely secure the vast network.

The worst damage from Monday's blasts was to two 48-inch (122-cm) diameter natural gas pipelines, but one major 30-inch (76-cm) oil pipeline was also hit. Pemex said exports would not be affected.