Archives

by Praveena Sharma

AHMEDABAD, India, Jan 16 (AFP) - Top Indian scientists have been left baffled by a series of mysterious underground "explosions" that are destroying homes and causing panic in the western state of Gujarat.

Over the past few months residents in southwestern Gujarat, particularly the Rajkot district 150 kilometres (93 miles) from the commercial capital Ahmedabad, have reported hearing blasts or "sonic sounds from the ground".

In some cases, the blasts have led to roofs collapsing.

"A team of experts visited the region to find out what was causing the phenomenon," said R.K. Kankane, director of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

"However, we have still not been able to conclude and say in affirmative that sounds are being heard due to seismic movements," he said.

One of the theories of local seismologists was that the noises were aftershock tremors of the high-intensity earthquake that hit Gujarat in January 2001, killing more than 20,000 people.

However, three months after an IMD investigation began, the mystery remains unsolved.

"Our findings have been submitted and discussed with the chief minister. But still, nobody is able to say whether it is a seismic phenomenon or is happening due to a chemical reaction under the earth," Kankane said.

"A team from the Geological Survey of India is also studying the phenomenon but it has not yet come out with its report," Kankane said.

Meanwhile residents said there had been panic in the areas where tremors were being felt almost every other night.

Tremors shook the Raska village in the Surendranagar district, over 100 kilometres (62 miles) from here, on Sunday night, destroying several houses.

"Since Sunday, many villagers are sleeping outside their homes despite the cold as they are scared that they could get killed if their roof came down during the night while they were sleeping," said Solanki Ramji Petabhai, the village head.

"I even saw smoke when the tremor occurred," said Bhikabhai Kohli, a resident of Raska Village.

Petabhai said seismic and geological experts had visited the village but were not able to give any conclusive answers.

"Everyone is giving a different theory for the sounds. Some say it is because the water table is depleting in the region, others say it is because of gaseous reaction under the earth, while there some who say that another high-intensity earthquake could hit Gujarat," he said.

A fortnight ago Rajkot town experienced a similar phenomenon. The IMD installed temporary observatories with micro-seismographs to study the mysterious sounds, but were unable to give conclusive answers. 

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager