Tunnel detonation damages property in Saudi

Explosives used by a contracting company supervising a major tunnel project in Saudi Arabia caused massive damage to cars and property and experts admitted there was a mistake, a local newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The blast was intended to remove rocks to dig the tunnel in the eastern town of Khobar but an overdose of the explosives caused the rock debris to fly more than 800 metres and hit many cars, shops and houses in the area.

“Nearly 21 cars were hit by the flying rocks while the fronts of some shops and houses in the area were also damaged,” Alyoum daily said.

“Material damage is estimated at more than SRone million while the deafening blast caused panic among residents of that area.”

The paper quoted an official at the contracting company as saying there was a mistake in using more explosives than was actually needed.