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People's Committee in the central province of Quang Nam have
called for research into the recent earth tremors in the Song Tranh 2 hydro
power plant in Tra My Town of Bac Tra My District, rumored to be a bomb
explosion.
The most recent tremors occurred late Sunday night, causing aftershocks within a
30-km radius, according to the local people.
At least three tremors have been recorded since November 16.
Dr Cao Dinh Trieu, Vice President of the Institute for Geophysics of Vietnam,
said the tremors were believed to be caused by various activities in the power
plant. The tremors could be the result of functional activities which can cause
earth tremors in the vicinity of artificial water reservoirs, he said.
This is a normal operational phenomenon that occurs worldwide. Similar tremors
were recorded near the Hoa Binh hydro-power plant in 1989, Trieu added.
The Song Tranh 2 hydro power plant first opened in December 2010.
According to local residents, the tremors first occurred in January this year
around the Tranh River hydro-power plant.
Besides some small cracks in walls of some nearby houses, no large scale damage
has so far been reported, Dr. Trieu noted, adding that the quake recorded more
than 3.5 on the Richter scale. He also advised local people not to be panic as
it is a natural phenomenon, although recurring tremors can certainly affect the
lives of the local people.
He added that further study and research is required to determine the full
effect of the tremors and establish appropriate preventative measures.
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