CAIRO: Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Nasr El-Din Allam denied Tuesday news reports claiming that there are cracks in the High Dam, according to a statement. A source inside the ministry said Allam's statements came in reaction to an article published by Al-Fajr independent weekly newspaper that said cracks have appeared in the High Dam, since the company managing it has been closed for three years. "The High Dam is very strong and is considered one of the most powerful dams in the world, Allam said in an official statement sent to Daily News Egypt. "The Dam cannot be affected by earthquakes or any sudden rise in water levels, he added. The newspaper claimed that the cracks have appeared "since there is no authority supervising [the High Dam]. The article did not offer any expert opinion supporting this argument, but did provide an official document confirming the closure of the company managing the Dam. Allam denied the news on the same day the article was published and visited the High Dam Tuesday with Hussein Al-Atfy, secretary of the Egyptian National Committee on Irrigation and Drainage. According to the ministry's statement, the minister examined the High Dam's maintenance operations conducted on its body and gates. The minister also supervised tests conducted on a new gate set to be used in emergencies, either to get rid of excess water or store more water. The new gate will be able to hold up to 345 million cubic meters of flood water that will be stored for emergencies, the ministry's statement said.
