20 Years After Lusi Eruption, Mud Volcano Still Active

Residents of East Java gathered Friday at the edge of a vast mud lake to mark the 20th anniversary of the Lusi mud volcano eruption, an event that swallowed entire communities and continues to reshape the landscape and lives of thousands. The eruption began on May 29, 2006, in the Porong subdistrict of Sidoarjo, inundating villages and resulting in at least 14 deaths.

Scientific research indicates the disaster was likely triggered by commercial gas drilling by the local exploration company PT Lapindo Brantas, which was operating in the area at the time. This conclusion contradicts the position of an Indonesian government minister at the time, who insisted the eruption was a natural event.

The ongoing flow of boiling mud has proven unstoppable. For years, experts have attempted to slow its spread, including through the construction of holding dams, but all measures have failed. The volcano continues to erupt today, with white smoke still billowing from its center. The mud has affected more than 1,100 hectares, submerging 19 villages across three subdistricts and creating a sea of sludge that now covers thousands of structures.

The confirmed fatalities include a worker killed in...