A team from the Department of Geology and Mines are investigating quarries in Gidaphu in Thimphu after the people living nearby complained of an unusually loud explosion that was carried out a week ago. Residents allege the explosion has caused cracks on the walls of their homes.
According to the residents, cracks were caused by the powerful explosion carried out at one of the mines in Gidaphu on July 12.
They say the sound of the explosion, which happened around noon that day, was deafening and that its force shook their homes causing the walls to crack.
Residents said at first they mistook it for an earthquake and ran for their lives. It was only minutes later that they learned the tremor was caused by a blasting at a mine in Gidaphu, about a kilometre away.
An investigation team
A team from the Department of Geology and Mines are investigating the matter following the complaints from some of the affected households.
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According to the Head of the Mining Division, Sangay Tshering, the team has checked the mining sites and found the amount of explosives to be normal.
He also said, some of the houses in the area are old, and it is not liable to blame the explosions in the mine alone.
Meanwhile, the team will investigate and establish whether the cracks were indeed caused by the explosion.
The findings would be submitted to the Ministry of Economic Affairs by the end of this week.
There are two marble mines and two stone quarries in Gidaphu.
