KOCHI, India. A mysterious geological phenomenon is bewildering people, puzzling scientists and bothering the Government in Kerala: Open wells in many parts of the State, which experienced widespread tremors early this year, are doing a vanishing trick.
Wells, the main source of drinking water for the rural people, cave in and cease to exist overnight. Sometimes this happens with an exploding noise and sometimes it occurs quietly even as the residents watch in disbelief.
Some 50 wells have so far been reported to have vanished in eight of the 14 districts of the State. Because of the February tremors and aftershocks, that jolted several parts of Kerala and caused minor damages to buildings, people in the areas of well-collapse are scared. They wonder the well-collapses could be a foreboding of an earthquake.
The Chief Minister, Mr. A.K. Antony, has asked the Mining and Geology Department and the scientists at the Thiruvananthapuram- based Centre for Earth Sciences Studies to probe the phenomenon. Scientists at the Mining and Geology Department have fanned to the eight districts. The Collectors have been asked to report to the Government on well-collapses in their districts.
The phenomenon, which was first reported a fortnight back, is increasing with each passing day. For instance, on Monday, a dozen wells, five to 20 metres deep, collapsed in different districts, six in Malappuram district alone.
On Monday, a 10-metre-deep well in Kalady, Adi Sankaracharya's hometown, imploded around 5 p.m. The 20-year-old well belonged to Mr. Ouseph Chakku and had existed close to his house. It had a strong circular protective wall made of granite and cement. Because of the monsoon rain, the well had been two- thirds full. The cave-in started at around 5 p.m. and was over by 5.30 p.m. What remains in its place now is a huge ugly scar of a metre-deep pit that contains the debris of the wall.
Mr. Chakku's family had reported that there had been great disturbance in the well's waters a few hours before the collapse. Strong `ripples' had appeared and the water level had gradually risen.
Other wells in the locality have not been damaged, but people fear that calamity might strike in theirs too. The Kalady area in Ernakulam district, some 40 km from Kochi, had experienced `vibrations' during the February tremors in the State. Another well collapsed near Piravom in the district, the same evening.
The people are scared and apprehend that the well- collapse could be a danger signal. The February tremors had created a fear psychosis in the people. (The fear could be gauged by the sudden spurt in insuring buildings and builders' advertisements of earthquake-resistant apartments.) Added to this is the fact that in the wake of the those tremors, turbulent ripples had been noticed in several wells in the State.
Scientists are yet to determine the cause of the well- collapses. It is believed that it has got something to do with the February tremors. Some scientists say that the tremors had upset the layers of the soil and uprooted sheets of rock, thus destabilising the soil around these wells. The heavy monsoon rains could have further weakened the soil, thus triggering the well-collapse. But, monsoon rains are not a new phenomenon and the scientists themselves are not quite sure of their explanation.
Perhaps, Kerala is in for another round of tremors?
