Explosions at the Silent Valley reservoir and at another pipe link crossing the Clady river, threaten the water supply to Belfast.

This is the second time that the Silent Valley reservoir has been hit within a week and British troops have been sent to guard water and electricity installations.

Sean Duignan reports from the scene of the explosion and asks who was responsible. Initially the IRA were blamed for the attacks, but it was later established that Loyalist extremists had carried out the explosions.

Reporter Ronnie Turner who is at the site of the explosion says that the people of Belfast are now experiencing this crisis in a "tangible and really uncomfortable way". The water shortage is impacting their everyday lives and is reaching crisis proportions.

Belfast city needs 26 million gallons of water a day and this resource has now been cut by half. The police have been in contact with the army about future security of such vital resources. The police have asked householders and business owners to ration their water usage, but some have no water to ration.

The IRA has denied any association with the explosion and the belief of the involvement of protestant extremists is gaining ground in Belfast. The speculation is that the protestant extremists may be trying to weaken Captain Terence O'Neill's position and at the same time discredit the civil rights movement.

RTÉ News reports on the water shortages in Belfast following a pipeline explosion broadcast on 24 April 1969.

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