Indonesia says mudflow can pour into sea
Posted on: Thursday, 10 August 2006, 07:44 CDT
JAKARTA (Reuters) - A huge flow of hot mud pouring out of an exploratory oil well in Indonesia inundating all in its path will be treated and channeled into the sea, the environment minister said on Thursday.
Authorities have been struggling for more than two months to plug the leak near the well just south of Indonesia's second city of Surabaya. The noxious mud flow has displaced about 8,000 people from their homes.
"To overcome this we will expand the area for the mud, second we will process the mud to naturalize it and the water can flow either to the sea or to the river," Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
"We hope we can handle that process in three months." Marking the latest trouble from the mud, a watershed protecting two villages was breached on Thursday, sending dark-gray water up to chest height gushing into the area.
On Tuesday, a major toll road was also forced to close on after the hot mud engulfed a large section of the highway.
The road to Surabaya was shut after huge amounts of muddy water swamped a 500 meter (1,600 ft) stretch.
Hospital officials say noxious fumes from the hot, thick sludge have left scores gasping for breath or vomiting.
The torrent has inundated swathes of land in four villages and contaminated many shrimp ponds dotting coastal Sidoarjo regency, famous in Indonesia for its shrimp crackers.
Authorities have told residents of villages that might eventually be swamped to leave their homes, but some fear they would not be properly compensated.
The government has said it will give five million rupiah ($550) to affected families to cover rent for two years.
An oil industry watchdog official has said the mudflow that began at the end of May could have been triggered by a crack at about 6,000 feet in the Banjar Panji-1 exploration well, operated by Indonesia's Lapindo Brantas.
(Additional reporting by Heri Retnowati in SURABAYA)
Source: REUTERS
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