Hot mudflow Sidoarjo, East Java

26 October 2007 - After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the Lapindo Brantas drilling site near Gempol, just south of the town of Sidoarjo in the province of East Java, tens of thousands were forced to move, hundreds of hectare of village and estates are covered in mud and there is still no end in sight. Every single day some 150,000 cubic meter of hot toxic mud is exhausted by te mud volcano. Ever since it started, contractors have tried to build as many dams as possible and a part of the hot mud is directly diverged to the Brantas river, but that is not a permanent sollution at all. In a series of more than seventy pictures a look at the current situation around the volcano that is in continuous eruption for over a year now. 76 new pictures added!

		Rescue craft A rescue team search for victims near a gas pipeline explosion in Sidoarjo. ...			Soldiers in a boat Soldiers and a rescue team use rafts to search for victims of a gas pipeline explosion in ...			Villagers block a road Villagers block a major road with sand to press the operator of an exploration oil well that ...
		Evacuation Volunteers and villagers load their belongings onto a truck to leave their village where leaking hot mud ...			Explosion aftermath A rescue team uses an excavator to search for victims near the site of Wednesday's gas pipeline ...			Evacuation Residents remove their belongings from a flooded residential area covered with hot mud from an oil and ...
		Explosion aftermath Mud covers the land in Porong, Sidoarjo district in East Java following an underground pipeline explosion near ...			Areal view An aerial view shows houses flooded with mud in Sidoarjo in East Java province. Some 10,000 people ...			Areal view An aerial view shows houses flooded with mud in Sidoarjo in East Java. Some 10,000 people have ...
		Deep mud A sign that reads "Be careful, deep mud" welcomes visitors to an area in Porong, that has ...			Dried mud is as hard as concrete Dried mud is as hard as concrete. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the ...			Office opening hours behind the window Office opening hours behind the window. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the Lapindo ...
		Polluted drinking water supply Polluted drinking water supply. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the Lapindo Brantas drilling ...			Only some stone walls remain Only some stone walls remain. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the Lapindo Brantas ...			Playing with friends is not possible anymore Playing with friends is not possible anymore. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the ...
		Waiting for some friends in a deserted neighborhood Waiting for some friends in a deserted neighborhood. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...			Pedicap used for transporting construction materials Pedicap used for transporting construction materials. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the Lapindo ...			Only some stone walls remain Only some stone walls remain. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the Lapindo Brantas ...
		Dried mud is as hard as concrete Dried mud is as hard as concrete. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the ...			Getting to work via a earthen dam is fast enough Getting to work via a earthen dam is fast enough. After almost one and a half year continuous ...			Another polluted drinking water well Another polluted drinking water well. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the Lapindo Brantas ...
		The fresh mud looks like a placid lake The fresh mud looks like a placid lake. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...			Complete villages were swallowed and taken apart Complete villages were swallowed and taken apart. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the ...			Complete villages were swallowed and taken apart Complete villages were swallowed and taken apart. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the ...
		The fresh mud looks like a placid lake The fresh mud looks like a placid lake. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...			Motorcycles are the main way of transport Motorcycles are the main way of transport. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the ...			Two storey house taken apart for it's materials Two storey house taken apart for it's materials. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...
		Big earthen dam to hold back the mudd is used as road Big earthen dam to hold back the mudd is used as road. After almost one and a half ...			Looking for materials Looking for materials. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the Lapindo Brantas drilling site ...			By bike under a burning hot sun By bike under a burning hot sun. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the ...
		Drainage is in place at some locations Drainage is in place at some locations. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the ...			The village road is now a dead end where the dam starts The village road is now a dead end where the dam starts. After almost one and a half ...			The local graveyard is surrounded by liquid mud The local graveyard is surrounded by liquid mud. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...
		Steam rises from the 'crater' of the mud volcano Steam rises from the 'crater' of the mud volcano. After almost one and a half year continuous mud ...			Dried mud looks like a desert Dried mud looks like a desert. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the Lapindo ...			The local graveyard is surrounded by liquid mud The local graveyard is surrounded by liquid mud. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...
		Dried mud looks like a desert Dried mud looks like a desert. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the Lapindo ...			Drainage is in place at some locations Drainage is in place at some locations. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the ...			Toxic gases raise to the surface at some points Toxic gases raise to the surface at some points. After almost one and a half year continuous mud ...
		The village road is now besides an earthen dam The village road is now besides an earthen dam. After almost one and a half year continuous mud ...			A bird looks for some food in the smelly fresh mud A bird looks for some food in the smelly fresh mud. After almost one and a half year ...			A bird looks for some food in the smelly fresh mud A bird looks for some food in the smelly fresh mud. After almost one and a half year ...
		Pipes are used to pump away the fresh hot mud Pipes are used to pump away the fresh hot mud. After almost one and a half year continuous ...			Steam rises from the 'crater' of the mud volcano Steam rises from the 'crater' of the mud volcano. After almost one and a half year continuous mud ...			Some roofs still have their tiles Some roofs still have their tiles. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the Lapindo ...
		Steam rises from the 'crater' of the mud volcano Steam rises from the 'crater' of the mud volcano. After almost one and a half year continuous mud ...			The area that was hit first looks like a ghost town now The area that was hit first looks like a ghost town now. After almost one and a half ...			The area that was hit first looks like a ghost town now The area that was hit first looks like a ghost town now. After almost one and a half ...
		Construction workers are working hard to make dams Construction workers are working hard to make dams. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...			The area that was hit first looks like a ghost town now The area that was hit first looks like a ghost town now. After almost one and a half ...			Pipes are used to pump away the fresh hot mud Pipes are used to pump away the fresh hot mud. After almost one and a half year continuous ...
		Pipes are used to pump away the fresh hot mud Pipes are used to pump away the fresh hot mud. After almost one and a half year continuous ...			Pipes are used to pump away the fresh hot mud Pipes are used to pump away the fresh hot mud. After almost one and a half year continuous ...			Dried mud looks like a desert Dried mud looks like a desert. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the Lapindo ...
		The dams are used by disaster tourists and locals as well The dams are used by disaster tourists and locals as well. After almost one and a half year ...			Steam rises from the 'crater' of the mud volcano Steam rises from the 'crater' of the mud volcano. After almost one and a half year continuous mud ...			Mud not allowed', reads a writing in mud Mud not allowed', reads a writing in mud. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...
		Tiles are removed as people are relocating themselves Tiles are removed as people are relocating themselves. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...			At some places, the earth sags as much as 25 centimeters At some places, the earth sags as much as 25 centimeters. After almost one and a half year ...			Dirty smelling 'water' is on the winning hand Dirty smelling 'water' is on the winning hand. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...
		At some places, the earth sags as much as 25 centimeters At some places, the earth sags as much as 25 centimeters. After almost one and a half year ...			At some places, the earth sags as much as 25 centimeters At some places, the earth sags as much as 25 centimeters. After almost one and a half year ...			Dirty smelling 'water' is on the winning hand Dirty smelling 'water' is on the winning hand. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...
		Villagers are waiting until they are evacuated Villagers are waiting until they are evacuated. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the ...			Dirty smelling 'water' is on the winning hand Dirty smelling 'water' is on the winning hand. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...			Villagers bring as much as they can before being evacuated Villagers bring as much as they can before being evacuated. After almost one and a half year continuous ...
		Dirty smelling 'water' is on the winning hand Dirty smelling 'water' is on the winning hand. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...			Villagers bring as much as they can before being evacuated Villagers bring as much as they can before being evacuated. After almost one and a half year continuous ...			Dirty smelling 'water' is on the winning hand Dirty smelling 'water' is on the winning hand. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...
		A new mosque has become useless because of sagging earth A new mosque has become useless because of sagging earth. After almost one and a half year continuous ...			Villagers bring as much as they can before being evacuated Villagers bring as much as they can before being evacuated. After almost one and a half year continuous ...			Villagers bring as much as they can before being evacuated Villagers bring as much as they can before being evacuated. After almost one and a half year continuous ...
		From the mosque, the 'crater' can be recognised by the steam From the mosque, the 'crater' can be recognised by the steam. After almost one and a half year ...			A small tunnel under the former toll road A small tunnel under the former toll road. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...			A gas pipe from Pertamina has been diverted A gas pipe from Pertamina has been diverted. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...
		The former toll road is now used for construction works The former toll road is now used for construction works. After almost one and a half year continuous ...			The former toll road is now used for construction works The former toll road is now used for construction works. After almost one and a half year continuous ...			The former toll road is now used for construction works The former toll road is now used for construction works. After almost one and a half year continuous ...
		Villagers want to have proper compensation Villagers want to have proper compensation. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from the Lapindo ...			The former toll road is now used for construction works The former toll road is now used for construction works. After almost one and a half year continuous ...			Small road to cross the toll road becomes obsolete Small road to cross the toll road becomes obsolete. After almost one and a half year continuous mud ...
		Drainage water is pumped into the Brantas river Drainage water is pumped into the Brantas river. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...			Drainage water is pumped into the Brantas river Drainage water is pumped into the Brantas river. After almost one and a half year continuous mud from ...			The toll booths are closed, entry is via the other lanes The toll booths are closed, entry is via the other lanes. After almost one and a half year ...
		The toll booths are closed, entry is via the other lanes The toll booths are closed, entry is via the other lanes. After almost one and a half year ...			Gempol, south of Sidoarjo, is the location of the mud flow Gempol, south of Sidoarjo, is the location of the mud flow. After almost one and a half year ...