Posted 04 September 2006 @ 12:03
Updated 04 September 2006 @ 13:29
SIDOARJO, 04 September 2006 - The site of the mudflow disaster in the Indonesian town of Sidoarjo has been closed to the public, with the authorities fearing a repeat of the Aug. 29 explosion that killed one man, a newspaper said Monday. Police sealed off the site in Porong, which sank five centimeters as of Saturday from the huge outpouring of mud from a gas well accident on May 29.
The well, owned by Lapindo Brantas Inc., continues to spew hot, odorous mud that has inundated six villages, dozens of local factories and disrupted service on a major turnpike, said The Jakarta Post. The sinking of the land at a two-kilometer radius from the well is predicted to reach 60 centimeters within a year's time. Geologists say it is due to shifting of soil 3,000 meters below the surface.
"We declare the site dangerous due to its high risks for human safety. The area is closed to everybody, including VIP guests," said Yuniwati Teryana, a Lapindo Brantas Inc. spokeswoman. She added that explosions from volatile underground gases could occur at anytime. The government has been struggling for a solution to overcome the mud flow crisis beginning more than two months ago, apart from building temporary dam surrounding the areas.
The hot, toxic mud has now breached the dam and displaced more than 10,000 people in Sidoarjo, some 750 km east of Jakarta. The unstoppable flow has created a large pool of mud. The mud began flowing May 29 from a drilling project and has since inundated an area of 25 square km. The government considers a plan to divert the flow into the ocean, but was opposed by environmentalists.
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