VietNamNet Bridge - Water in a resident’s well in Bao Thang District in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai has suddenly become hotter.

This has prompted some scientists to connect the phenomenon to movement in a deep underground fault zone.

The 14-m well, owned by Le Van Bao from Muc Village in Thai Nien Commune, is about 0.5km from Hong (Red) River.

Bao’s family has used water from the well on a daily basis for generations.

But nearly a month ago, despite the cold weather, water in the well suddenly became hotter, reaching 30 to 40 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, the temperature of water in his neighbours’ wells remains cool.

To add to the mystery, Bao said his 95-year-old mother found that after taking a bath in the hotter water, her health had improved and she was more supple.

Previously she had curled-up hands and was very weak.

Le Huy Minh, deputy director of the Institute for Geophysics under the Viet Nam Institute of Science and Technology, has called for a detailed study of the situation.

“The hotter water may relate to a fault zone along the Red River,” he said.

Minh said that when the fault area was active, a current of mineral water could be forced to the surface from deep underground.

“The fault zone is part of the geophysical make up of the region and residents should not be worried,” he said.

He said the zone was continuously active in Lai Chau and Dien Bien provinces. And in the neighbouring Dien Bien basin, currents of hot water also existed.

“If Bao’s mother feels healthier after taking a bath with the hot water, it could be because it contained dissolved minerals,” said Minh. “In any event, the hot water should be studied and exploited properly.”

Meanwhile, Nguyen Van Dan, former director of the Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology Federation’s northern division, said field work was necessary to evaluate the situation.

But he did cast some doubt on the fault zone theory. “Water in the well could be hotter because of a nearby lime slaking pit or electricity leaking underground,” he said.

The Lao Cai Department of Natural Resources and Environment has taken water sample from the well for study.

Source: VNS