Aftermath of an eruption in a dry stream that caused a rift in Ikwoto. (-)

Geologists investigating a mysterious hydrological condition behind the death of fish and vegetation in Eastern Equatoria State attribute the event to a leakage of an acid substance from a mountainous area.

The group were in Katire Payam of Ikwoto County to determine the suspected underground current that unleashed hot water, destroying farms, forests and causing mass death of aquatic animals in the Kineti River.

Prof. John Leju, a member of the investigation team said they spotted the flow of acidic substance that changed the color of water and grass across the 3-kilometer stream up to the river.

The official could not conclusively define what was discovered to have leaked and whether or not it was taken for any laboratory for further analysis.

He cautioned the local population against drinking from the stream and to stop children from playing there, at least until further study is concluded.

“We have actually covered three kilometers from right from the area where this stream joints the river,” said Mr. Leju, a lecturer of the University of Juba’s School of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, in an interview with state-owned television SSBC.

“After several investigations, we found that actually one of the sources is a leakage from beneath a mountain area which is within the stream because throughout our visit, we were sensing a different acidic smell.”

“Throughout our investigation within those streams, we found that this is actually where the leakage comes from.”

The investigation was launched after the Eastern Equatoria State Governor, Luise Lobong Lojore, called on the national government to identify the cause of the outburst which he said threw vegetations into the Kineti River.

“I went there and don’t know what has happened, but you can see that something erupted like a force from the ground through the water in a small spring, and it went and opened widely from ahead,” Lobong said.

Elders in Katire Payam said over four decades ago, the area witnessed similar occurrence.

The investigation team of academic experts ruled out allegations of volcanic eruption.

It is not clear if there is a likelihood of the occurrence being geyser, which, according to the research website Britannica, is a rare hydrological phenomenon characterized by an intermittent discharge of water ejected turbulently and accompanied by steam.

An underground geyser occurrence diagram. (Credit: Encyclopedia Britannica).

Geysers is said to be caused by the heating of groundwater by shallow bodies of magma, and is generally associated with areas that have seen past volcanic activity.

The spouting action is caused by the sudden release of pressure that has been confining near-boiling water in deep, narrow conduits beneath a geyser.

As steam or gas bubbles begin to form in the conduit, hot water spills from the vent of the geyser, and the pressure is lowered on the water column below.

Water at depth then exceeds its boiling point and flashes into steam, forcing more water from the conduit and lowering the pressure further. This chain reaction continues until the geyser exhausts its supply of boiling water.