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Hot mudflow erupts in North Sumatra village, reviving fears of another Lapindo disaster
Khoiruddin, a local resident, explained that the mudflow has destroyed several rubber and rice crops and left some farmland infertile. The mud has also contaminated the clean water supply for four nearby villages, while the gas emitted from the mudflow has polluted the air in the region.
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Residents affected by the Lapindo mud volcano disaster in Sidoarjo, East Java, scatter flower petals near the embankment of the mud retaining pool on May 24th, 2017, to mark the 11th anniversary of the disaster.
(Antara/Umarul Faruq)
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hot mudflow has begun in multiple locations in Roburan Dolok Village, Mandailing Natal Regency, North Sumatra, triggering panic among residents, who fear a repeat of the devastating Lapindo mud volcano disaster.
Mandailing Natal Regent Saipullah Nasution explained that while several small hot mudflows were recorded in the village a few years ago, three new sites have emerged in the past few months, each expanding rapidly.
"Each new site covers about 25 square meters, with two or three active eruptions at each location," he said on Sunday, as reported by KompasTV.
"We will send a letter to the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, requesting that they deploy a team to assess whether the mudflow is toxic and poses a danger to human health. This will help us determine the appropriate measures to address the issue," he added.
The Mandailing Natal Environment Agency has already collected samples of the mudflow to analyze its composition.
Residents of Roburan Dolok say the mudflow eruption has severely disrupted the livelihoods of villagers -- most of whom rely on farming -- and has drastically affected their quality of life.
Khoiruddin, a local resident, explained that the mudflow has destroyed several rubber and rice crops and left some farmland infertile. The mud has also contaminated the clean water supply for four nearby villages, while the gas emitted from the mudflow has polluted the air in the region.
