Despite various dangers, the well-diggers in Gia Lai Province keep delving into the earth in order to earn money during the dry season.

 Well-diggers in Gia Lai Province

Gia Lai Province is at the peak of the dry season and many farmers need water for their crops and daily activities.

As the sun rises, the well-diggers in Ia Kha Commune ready for work. The diggers drop candles down the newly-dug hole. If the candle burns it means they had oxygen. Otherwise, they would have to drop fresh leaves down the hole to release oxygen.

In cases where they have to use explosives, they can only resume working after 24 hours.

Tui, a well-digger, said he had more than 10 years of experience and started working around the village with wire, bucket, crown, spade, and hoe. After gaining experience, he has bought more equipment and expanded the business to the whole Central Highlands.

He said, "It's hard and dangerous but the incomes are good. We earn VND500,000 (USD22) a day. If the wells are especially easy, we can earn up to VND1m. But if the wells are too difficult to dig, we have to give up and earn half the pay. It's fair."

A group of three to four diggers is needed to complete the work. A well that is 20 metres deep and has a diameter of two metres costs about VND50m (USD2,200). This time, Tui's group was only able to dig to 16 metres deep, but luckily, they already found water.

42-year-old Nguyen Tinh said he was almost killed on several occasions. According to Tinh, they are afraid to work on old wells because of their vulnerability. His group had to quit many times when parts of the walls collapsed.

"While being in the 30-metre wells, being hit by a small stone can be really painful. Getting down those deep wells is like going down into hell," Tinh said.

"Eating the meals of the living and working in hell," is what the well-diggers often use to describe their job as several people have died in the wells. 

Workers work at a deep well

A member of Tinh's group suffered severe brain damage four years ago after a stone hit his head. He had to quit the job and is no longer able to support his family.

In June 2016, Bui Van Vien and his son worked on a well and met the fatal accident. It is thought that oxygen ran out too quickly in the heat. Vien's son said he heard his father called out and then nothing. When he pulled his father up, he was already dead. 

Many well-diggers joke that if they die, the wells can become their graves. It's a deadly gamble whenever they go down but they continue to earn money this way.

Dtinews/PLVN