AN eerie video shows water in an 18ft-deep well moving in an earthquake hotspot where 20,000 people died, leaving locals baffled.
Residents in an Indian village have been left scratching their heads for an answer after the well has been “shaking” continuously for days.
The well has generated a lot of interest with the locals and on social media Credit: Taniya Dutta
Video shows the the water rippling and surging inside the vast well Credit: Taniya Dutta
Footage posted on social media shows the water rippling and surging inside the well, located in the Morbi district in the western Indian state of Gujarat.
Locals fear an earthquake could be on its way.
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The region suffered one of the world’s worst earthquakes in 2001, which left at least 20,00 dead.
The 18-foot-deep well is built on the farmland of Pranjivan Sadariya in Virparda village.
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Experts say they have found no evidence of seismic activity and think the strange activity could be linked to the heavy monsoon rain Credit: Taniya Dutta
A woman looks for her belongings in the rubble of her house in Bondh village, following the massive earthquake in 2001 Credit: AFP
“When I arrived at my farm on Jattvibeday, water from the well was spilling over the edge, and the same thing has continued ever since,” Mr Sadariya said, adding that the well was built only three months ago.
Officials have ruled out an earthquake or tectonic activity as the cause of the bizarre phenomenon and launched an investigation.
The Institute of Seismological Research in the state’s Gandhinagar, which reportedly found no seismic event and no active fault line linked to the phenomenon.
Experts have been roped in to investigate whether the shape and depth of the well could be amplifying the movement – a phenomenon known as a “well seiche” or resonance, in which water oscillates back and forth.
Morbi District Collector Swapnil Khare said a team of scientists would visit the site to investigate exactly what is happening underground.
Experts say such groundwater disturbances are unusual but can occur during periods of intense rainfall and rapid aquifer recharge – the process where water moves down from the land surface to replenish underground water reserves.
District geologist JS Vadher said there was no evidence of seismic activity and suggested the strange movement was linked to heavy monsoon rain and groundwater recharge.
“This is not seismic activity. Prima facie, it appears that following heavy upstream rainfall, groundwater is recharging and air trapped in the pore spaces of rocks is being released, causing the disturbance in the well,” Vadher explained.
India has been witnessing heavy monsoon rains with several regions submerged in flood waters leaving thousands displaced and more than 1,00 killed.
The earthquake in 2001 struck on January 26 at 8.46am and hit with a magnitude of 7.6.
As well as killing more than 20,000 people a further 166,000 were injured and some 400,000 buildings were destroyed.
Both Gujarat in India and the Pakistani province of Sindh were affected.
