The following two reports are from the Times of India 3 Feb forwarded to me by Dr. V. K. Gaur 4 Feb An increase in aquifer pressure near Ahmedabad is consistent with its location in the contractional volume strain quadrant of the Bhuj earthquake. The ejection of turbid water from mud volcanoes the Little Rann of Kachchh is similar to liquefaction reports in 1819. The descriptions of rivers newly activated in hitherto dry chanels is again a relica of phenomenon observed in 1819 .
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Believe it or not: Water table rises in ravaged Gujarat
4 February 2001
By Shyam Parekh AHMEDABAD:
Post-quake Gujarat may never be the same again as the groundwater level has registered increase in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, besides springing of water in Little Rann, increase in water level over the salt pans and changes in the topography.
City-based scientists and some of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation officials confided that the time taken to pump out the ground water has been much less than before. According to reports, it took the AMC reportedly one third of the time to pump out the water since the quake, which could suggest possible rise in the aquifer levels.
In Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, the Automatic Water level recorder (Peizometers) fitted by the Central Ground Water Board showed an increase in the water level to the tune of 2.5 cms, after the earthquake. The CGWB scientists said that the two shallow aquifer tube-wells of 150 mm diameter, one at Sola near Ahmedabad and other at Gandhinagar are nearly 60 metres deep. The reading at 6 am on January 26, was about 2.5 cms less than what was found at noon.
The water level became shallower says hydrologist Dr VSR Krishna. However, he warns that it is not possible to attribute the same to the earthquake without proper examination.
Reacting to large number of reports about fluctuations in water table, springing of fresh and saline water and other such incidents scientist SV Ragahava Rao said that None of these can be ruled out as there are possibilities of facing fresh water coming up as aquifers burst or collide with each other .
He said that such phenomena have been observed at number of earthquake hit places due to hydrological disturbances. The scientists and hydrologists of the CGWB are in process of collecting data from many of the 70 recorders fitted last year throughout in the state under the Hydrological Project to measure water lelve fluctuations.
Meanwhile, reports have come in from the Little Rann of Kutchh about saline water springing at few places in the Rann. I went to number of places from where report were received, mainly between Maliya to Zinzuvada. I found extremely salty water, even saltier than that found in Rann. It was brownish in colour and is slowly turning black.
It was spread as if it has sprung up , said Devjibhai Dhamecha a wildlife photographer from Dhrangadhra who went in the Little Rann for relief work. He found such springs at near Bajana, between Bajana and Patdi (near Kharaghoda), near Kuda and near Kopardi. While the water that sprang out has dried up at most places, at few places it has gathered in pool form. Inside the salty expanses of Little Rann, the salt pan workers or the Agariyas had to retreat as the water level at many a salt-pans increased near Maliya and Surajbari.
Officials of SWATI a non-governmental organisation which is working in over 200 villages in Halvad, Patdi and Dhrangadhra located near the Little Rann have also received reports about increase in the water level in the Little Rann. Similarly a fresh water jet has been reported from near Bhachau in Kutchh. Apart from water, reports have been also received about oozing of volcanic mud at dozens of places. Scientists deny that this is lava.
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Sindhu River starts flowing once again in Kutch region
4 February 2001
The Times of India News Service, Rajkot:
In all the death and destruction around Kutch there is one good thing that has happened. A person has said that the Sindhu river has changed its course and was once again flowing into the Western Kutch area. Local people from Kutch have brought this to the notice of the district collector.
Informed sources at the Kutch collectorate told TOINS that during the last 48 hours the river water has been flowing into the desert region. His includes areas of Hajipir, Junagam, Nakhatrana, and the Banni region. Water has been sighted almost at ground level which has astonished the locals. It was also said that in the border area and region around the Khari river and the Large Rann of Kutch sweet water was found by the people living in the open. They said that the sweet water was found at a depth of just 10 to 15 feet.
It is said that almost two centuries ago during the quake the Sindhu river flowing from Morbi to Bharuch had changed its course after hurdles on its way were generated due to the quake. It was because of this river that western Kutch areas like Abdasa, Nakhatrana and Lakhpat were prosperous towns at that time.
On the other hand some have even seen steaming hot water and lava coming out of the other areas of the quake devastated area. The people were unable to ascertain the exact reason for the sweet water and hot water flowing at the same time at various places in kutch. The district collector s office has asked the geologists to ascertain the facts of this unusual happening. Kutch also faces severe water crisis year after year and is a drought prone area.