On Friday 28th August, there was a fuel oil spill covering nearly one-and-a-half- kilometres at the Nile river. A burst pipeline at an Egyptian el-Hamra power plant caused the spill. The Governor of the southern city of Assiut, Yasser el-Dasouqi, immediately ordered for the shutdown of 11 water stations to prevent contamination of drinking water. Later, after sampling and ensuring that the water is safe and has met health standards, seven of the water stations were reopened. Arrangements to supply water in trucks were made to the affected areas of the city.
The el-Hamra power plant that was built in 1966 is due for renovations in 2016. Earlier in April, there was a chemical spill in the Nile.
Source: NZ Herald
