VietNamNet Bridge – On the night of November 27, there was a big explosion from the earth’s womb in the downstream area of Song Tranh 2 hydro-power plant in Bac Tra My district, Quang Nam province.
The explosion caused an aftershock within a 30km diameter. It once again frightened people in Tra My town and the communes of Tra Bui, Tra Giac, Tra Tan, Tra Doc, Tra Giang, Tra Son and Tra Duong.

Ho Van Nam from Tra Son commune described: “That was a deafening explosion. The ground shook for around 2 minutes. Our doors and windows were thundering like a whirlwind passed. We hid under the bed in case the roof is collapsed.”

Dr. Cao Dinh Trieu, from the Institute for Geophysics, said the observation station in Thua Thien-Hue province recorded an earthquake in Bac Tra My district at 9.23pm, November 27, but it could not define the intensity.

Trieu said the institute has asked the Union of Geographic Science and Technology Associations to make field research in Bac Tra My.

Since November 16, at least three big explosions have been recorded in the earth’s womb near the Song Tranh hydro-power plant. The biggest explosion was the one on November 27.

Tran Anh Tuan, Vice Chair of Bac Tra My district, said that local residents have been living in fear for the past two weeks.

The local authorities are worried that thousands of ethnic minority people who live in resettlement areas near Song Tranh hydro-power plant would migrate into the forest.

“According to their custom, if the life is unsafe, they will move to another region. They will destroy forest to plant food crops,” Tuan said.

Quang Nam province has asked the Ministry of Science and Technology to find the reasons that cause the explosions.

Experts from the Geological General Department said that the explosions might cause by the penetration of lava into empty holes in the earth’s womb.

Dr. Trieu said that the explosions were all less than 3.5 Richter scales. The zone of fault in this area may be operating strongly.

PV