Town Gas immediately shut the relevant valve and secured the surrounding area, while the water intakes of several nearby drinking-water stations were temporarily closed as a precaution.
The ministry added that water samples are also being tested to ensure their safety and compliance with national standards before the stations resume operations.
The incident occurred at kilometre 119 of the canal, where the gas pipeline runs beneath, and perpendicular to, the waterway. The site also intersects with microtunnelling works for the Abu Suweir drain beneath the canal.
The ministry stressed that dredging operations in the Ismailia Canal “had not begun in the area where the incident occurred” and had not reached the point where the pipeline was ruptured.
“No dredging work was carried out at the site of the incident,” it added.
Immediately after the incident, ministry teams were deployed to the site and coordinated with the governorate, the National Emergency and Public Safety Network, Town Gas, the Canal Governorates Drinking Water and Sanitation Company, the Suez Canal Authority, Civil Defence, and other concerned bodies.
A detailed technical investigation is underway to determine the precise cause of the rupture and identify any further measures required.
The ministry said it would continue monitoring the situation around the clock to protect residents and infrastructure and ensure the safety and quality of the canal’s water.
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