An 18-foot-deep well in a village in Gujarat's Morbi district has become the focus of widespread curiosity after it began generating continuous waves and ripples for nearly five days, baffling residents and drawing crowds to the site.
The unusual activity has prompted speculation about possible seismic movement. However, officials said there is no evidence linking the phenomenon to earthquake activity and suggested it is more likely caused by trapped air escaping during groundwater recharge.
The well, located on a farm near a highway, has attracted villagers, passersby and travellers eager to witness the rare sight. The water has been in constant motion since August 2, with waves occasionally causing it to spill over the edge.
District Geologist J S Vadher said preliminary findings indicate that recent heavy upstream rainfall may have recharged groundwater, forcing air trapped in the pore spaces of underground rocks to escape and create the rippling effect.
"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 said.
He added that officials had consulted the Institute of Seismological Research in Gandhinagar, which confirmed that there is no active fault line in the area.
Morbi District Collector Swapnil Khare said the state government has been informed and that a team from Gandhinagar will visit the site to carry out a detailed investigation into the phenomenon.
The owner of the farm, Pranjivan Sadariya, said he first noticed the unusual activity on August 2.
"When I arrived at my farm on Sunday, water from the well was spilling over the edge, and the same thing has continued ever since," he said.
Sadariya said the well had been constructed about three months ago.
(With inputs from PTI)