Shaky waters: Unusual waterfall flow sparks probe after Myanmar quake
Unusual water flow was observed at Huai Hok Waterfall in Ban Thi during the dry season, sparking investigations by officials after the Myanmar earthquake. This abnormality, noted for the first time in decades at Mae Takhrai National Park, has led to safety assessments.
On March 30, officials from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation discovered this anomaly in Mae Takhrai National Park, spanning Chiang Mai and Lamphun provinces. While on a routine forest fire patrol along the Mae Thi Reservoir to Huai Hok Waterfall route, officials, including volunteers from the village’s natural resource and environment protection group, encountered the unusual water flow.
The location, marked at coordinates 47Q 522480 UTM 2058860 in Ban Thi subdistrict, Ban Thi district, Lamphun province, is known to dry up during the dry season from December to May, with water usually flowing only in the rainy season.
The cause of the water flow remains unclear. The phenomenon gained attention after being reported on the หมอกควันไฟป่าบ้านธิ (Ban Thi Forest Fire Smoke) LINE group, especially with speculation that it could be linked to the earthquake in Myanmar on March 28.
Kan Chamnongphakdee, the head of Mae Takhrai National Park, stated that upon receiving the report, the park assigned teams from units MK4 (Mae Pha Nhaen) and MK5 (Mae Teep-Mae Sarn) to conduct a physical inspection and capture images on April 1.
This was done to determine the exact cause and assess safety. However, given the challenging mountainous terrain, access to the site is difficult, and the investigation is ongoing without a definitive conclusion.
The park has announced that any updates will be communicated promptly and plans to collaborate with geologists for further evaluation. Kan emphasised the ongoing forest fire situation, with the park and local communities working together to prevent fires for several months.
Consequently, there is a strict control over access to this conservation area to mitigate the risk of fires, highlighting the need for vigilance against unauthorised entry, reported KhaoSod.
This unexpected water flow during the dry season has surprised officials, locals, and conservationists observing the situation closely, marking an unprecedented event in recent decades.
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