Residents in the East Java province of Indonesia gathered on Friday to mark the 20th anniversary of the eruption of the Lusi mud volcano, a catastrophic event that inundated entire villages and claimed at least 14 lives. They scattered flowers, offered prayers, and paid their respects at the edge of the vast mud lake that now covers the area.
The 2006 Disaster
The eruption began on May 29, 2006, in the Porong subdistrict of Sidoarjo. Scientific research strongly suggests that the disaster was triggered by commercial gas drilling conducted by local exploration company PT Lapindo Brantas. This finding contradicted the assertion of an Indonesian government minister at the time, who insisted it was a natural disaster. The boiling mud slowly swallowed homes, neighborhoods, and livelihoods, leaving a lasting scar on the region.
Failed Mitigation Efforts
For years, experts have searched for ways to slow the spread of the sludge. However, all measures, including the construction of holding dams, have failed. The volcano continues to erupt to this day, emitting hot mud from its vent. Excavators are a common sight, dredging the bottom of the mud pond in a futile attempt to manage the flow.
Human Toll
The disaster claimed 14 lives. One worker died in August 2006 when the digger he was operating fell off a levee. The other 13 victims perished in November 2006 when an underground gas pipeline beneath one of the holding dams exploded. Tens of thousands of residents were displaced, losing their homes, land, jobs, and even the graves of their ancestors.
One survivor, Sastro, 55, lost his house and his job at a factory that was submerged in the mud. The factory was among thousands of structures buried within the 572-hectare (over 1,400-acre) sea of mud. Two decades later, Sastro works as a motorcycle taxi driver, ferrying visitors to the site, which has become a tourist destination. "As far as I can tell, things have been really tough ever since the Lapindo incident," he said.
Compensation and Ongoing Issues
Indonesia's then-president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, ordered PT Lapindo Brantas to pay $420 million in compensation to affected villagers and to help fund government emergency operations. However, while the company provided some aid, it was only a fraction of the total. The government subsequently stepped in with emergency financial assistance.
After 20 years, white smoke still billows from the center of the mud lake, indicating that hot mud continues to erupt. Aerial photographs show the vent as a small dot in the middle of the vast expanse. The mud flow has affected more than 1,100 hectares (around 2,700 acres), submerging 19 villages across three subdistricts.
Survivors' Struggles
Many survivors still face significant challenges, including environmental contamination, health and civil registration problems, and the uncertainty of life after the disaster, according to Lucky Wahyu Wardana of the Indonesian Forum for Living Environment (WALHI) in East Java. "The Lapindo tragedy must serve as a lesson for the government to stop relying on extractive industries, as the costs of the impact far outweigh the benefits. Not only have lives been lost, but children who once lived in the affected areas have lost their future and face health consequences. In addition, many parents have lost their sense of history regarding their origins and hometowns," Wardana said.
