A partial collapse of a bridge in Ain Ghaseen village in Egypt’s Ismailia Governorate resulted in the flooding and damage of numerous agricultural lands and homes, as well as a water supply cutoff to the Suez Governorate. Official sources have reported the arrest of a farmer accused of causing the incident by attempting to create an illegal connection to the Ismailia canal, which led to the collapse due to the bridge’s age. This incident caused water leakage into and around more than 100 acres within the farm, destroying thousands of acres of farmland.
The bridge partially collapsed at kilometer 10.00, extending over 20 meters. Coordination occurred among the Egyptian Ministries of Water Resources and Irrigation, Interior, and Transport to address the situation.
Following the bridge collapse, the Suez Governorate urged citizens to manage their water needs accordingly. The Ismailia canal serves as the primary water source for the Suez Governorate, originating in the Sharqia Governorate and extending to Ismailia and then south to Suez. The governorate relies on several water purification stations along the canal and lift stations to supply water to Suez’s neighborhoods and outskirts, irrigate rural sector agriculture, and use canal water in industrial cooling operations for petroleum factories.
In recent months, Egypt has witnessed several tragic incidents resulting in numerous fatalities and injuries. On October 28, 2023, a severe multi-vehicle collision occurred on a highway in the Beheira governorate, resulting in at least 32 fatalities and more than 60 injuries. The accident was reportedly caused by an oil leak, leading to a chain reaction of crashes involving a passenger bus and other vehicles, some of which caught fire .
Another devastating event took place on November 12, 2022, when a minibus overturned and fell into a canal in the Nile Delta region, in the northern governorate of Dakahlia. This accident claimed the lives of at least 21 people, including three children, and was attributed to a steering wheel malfunction .
