Every year the Samaria mountains announce with
a low powerful rumble that spring has arrived. If you are in the
vicinity it is quite an experience. Some experts believe that the rumbling
is caused by air trapped in small fissures or caverns throughout the
mountains. Indeed there are several caves in the mountains and some
known hot springs in the vicinity. When the rumbling occurs it will
often times even startle the animals. The Washakie Indians believed that the rumblings
were caused by the spirits talking in the mountains.
Dr. Paul Link, head of the Department of Geology at Idaho State
University says that since the rumbling occurs at regular intervals only
during one period of the year it is unlikely that the rumbling is caused
by seismic activity. He speculates that water moving within the
mountains could possibly cause the "talking".
Another hypothesis given by Dr. Link is that the temperature change might
cause air to expand in underground caverns forcing the air to rush out
causing a rumbling.
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