MORBI, Aug 7: The mysterious ripples and continuous waves observed in a newly constructed farm well in Gujarat’s Morbi district are likely the result of groundwater recharge and trapped air pressure following heavy rainfall, officials said.
A team from the State Water Data Centre, Gandhinagar, inspected the site on Friday and ruled out seismic activity or any major geological disturbance as the cause of the unusual phenomenon, which was first noticed on August 2.
The 18-foot-deep well, located in Virparda village, has attracted considerable attention as water inside it continues to move and form wave-like ripples without any apparent external cause. Local residents, passersby and commuters travelling on the nearby highway have been stopping to witness the phenomenon.
Morbi Collector Swapnil Khare said the preliminary assessment by the groundwater investigation team suggested that heavy rainfall may have led to increased groundwater recharge, triggering the unusual movement of water.
Officials also ruled out any suspicious activity or seismic disturbance in the area. They said the continuous ripples were most likely associated with gas or trapped air pressure beneath the ground rather than any geological anomaly.
The State Water Data Centre team will submit a detailed report after completing its investigation, the Collector said.
Well owner and farmer Pranjivan Sadariya said he first noticed the unusual activity on August 2.
“When I arrived at my farm that day, water from the well was spilling over the edge, and it has continued ever since,” he said.
Sadariya added that the well was constructed around three months ago and that the unusual movement of water began only recently following the heavy rainfall.
