There has been an oil spill on the Nile in between Aswan and Luxor province. The Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs issued a statement reporting that the oil spill was around six kilometres in diameter at its widest point. However, late on Monday Al-Ahram reported that the size of the spill was reduced to a miniscule size by the time it reached Esna, south of Luxor city.
The Ministry of Environment had issued a state of emergency for Aswan, Qena, and Luxor provinces as government agencies from across Upper Egypt worked to cut off the oil spill, clean it up, and ensure the water remains safe for drinking and watering crops.
In Bosilia and Enba’ia pumping water was halted and no one was allowed to consume potentially contaminated water until the system was inspected.
MENA reported that the source of the spill has not been identified, but that investigations are underway in Aswan.
The Ministry of the Environment has been working closely with the Ministry of Petroleum to resolve the situation. Equipment from the Ministry of Petroleum was used to clean up oil along the shores of the Nile, and the Minister of Environment travelled with the governor of Luxor to survey the damage.
By the end of Monday Al-Ahram reported that after inspections at the start of the spill’s journey, the water in Aswan appeared to be free of oil.
