In May of 2006, gas drilling on the Indonesian island of Java triggered a mud volcano that killed 13 people. Hot, sulfuric mud has been continually gushing from the ground in Sidoarjo, East Java ever since.
The steaming pool of mud already covers more than 25 square kilometers, and is growing at an estimated 50,000 cubic meters–the equivalent of a dozen Olympic swimming pools–each day, swallowing up homes as it expands. Scientists expect the mud volcano to continue erupting for perhaps another 30 years.
The mud volcano is located south of the center of Sidoarjo, the town being directly south of the major eastern Java city of Surabaya. The mud volcano is bordered on the west side by Route 1/Jalan Raya Malang-Surabaya. There are local rail stops on the north (Dusun Ketapang, Jl. Pembangunan) and south (Porong) end of the volcano area.
