In Sidoarjo, Indonesia, careless drilling by energy company PT Lapindo Brantas appears to have caused a mud volcano known as Lusi. Lusi has been erupting for almost five years now, and has buried 3 square miles of land in sediment up to 65 feet deep. Worse, a study indicates the eruption may last another twenty six years. Apparently, the locals are adapting:
Indonesians have since thrown up their hands in surrender and come to accept living with the weird new Sidoarjo. It’s a place where one’s home might suddenly experience geysers exploding from the floor, as mud-driven pressure underground pushes water upward. Residents live in fear of gas bubbles floating up from ground cracks that explode into 10 foot-tall pillars of flame around anybody unfortunate enough to be smoking a cigarette
All manner of solutions have been tried to stem the flow of mud, from huge concrete balls to pumping in concrete. Locals even tried an animal sacrifice:
If they’re hoping that will plug the volcano, I think they’re gonna need a bigger goat.
