About two weeks ago, Tel Aviv residents noticed that the concrete surface outside their homes was heating up and steam was coming out of the ground. Tests showed that steam that reached 60 ° C (140 ° F) was water based.
The witness explains: “I was afraid that there was a power line in the area and asked a worker to dig out the ground with a shovel. Steam suddenly came out. I imagined it was probably a geyser. It seemed to me that this was a geological incident – also because there were no problems with electricity in the building. “
עוד אנשי מקצוע בשטח. אני מבין שכל גורמי התשתיות ובהם גם אנשי חברת החשמל במקום pic.twitter.com/2vCfqrVqnl— Bar Peleg (@bar_peleg) January 1, 2021
Although the experts did not find any hazardous substances or any risk to the stability of buildings at the site, residents as well as kindergartens in the area were evacuated.
Officials described the heat source as “trapped energy” of unknown origin.
Work continues, steam is still rising and the ground is still hot. It is currently unclear what is causing the warming. Note the hole dug in the area. The area is still blocked.
Mysterious origins
City officials said they will “continue to monitor the temperature of the earth, which is expected to cool down for a long time, and will continue to investigate the causes of the unusual event.”
Israel Electric Corporation has not found a connection between heat and power in the area.
חדשות מחמי גבירול: העבודות והמדידות נמשכות. האדים כנראה פסקו וגם האדמה מעט התקררה (שימו לבל לסרטון, במקום המדידה הזה 39.3 מעלות). כמה סברות ששמעתי על הסיבה מגורמים שעבדו בשטח: תשתית חשמל ישנה בעומק הקרקע (חברת חשמל שללו) או חומר אורגני שבמגע עם מי תהום התחמם
צילום @ilanrcohen1 pic.twitter.com/CDKtDxVdQF— Bar Peleg (@bar_peleg) January 3, 2021
The Israel Geological Survey confirmed the rise in temperature after testing ground and water temperature levels, but said it has not yet found an explanation.
Despite their best efforts, municipal officials, the fire department, Israel Electric Corporation and the Ministry of the Environment have yet to find a source of heat.
Meanwhile, the Tel Aviv municipality has informed dozens of evacuees that they can return to their homes. However, residents are not going to return until they receive a detailed account of the source of the mysterious event.
“They evacuated us because they were concerned about our safety, and now they are urging us to return without any convincing explanation. How can you be sure that there is no more danger? “
