ANTARA News - Sidoarjo mud flow contaminates fish pond areas

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ANTARA News - Sidoarjo mud flow contaminates fish pond areas
http://news.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=15012

Sidoarjo, East Java (ANTARA News) -
Hot mud that has been flowing from PT Lapindo Brantas Inc. gas well drilling activity in Porong since the past 25 days, started to contaminate fish ponds at Gempolsari and Penatar Sewu villages, Tanggulangin, Sidoarjo district, East Java province, which are quite far from the hot mud source.

Local breeders complained that their fish and shrimps died as the ponds` water was contaminated by hot mud which is mixed with gas and water.

Mud flow had earlier contaminated fish ponds at Plumbon village, Porong.

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"We are worried that this year, fish and shrimp breeders would go bankrupt due to harvest failures. The flowing mud has contaminated their fish ponds and finally killed fish and shrimps," Bostami, Plumbon village chief, said.

Mud flow, which has come out of control from the Lapindo gas drilling well, has continued to spread to wider areas.

It is currently approaching Kedungbendo village which has a population of six thousand people. The villagers are very worried and working hard to stop the mud flow from entering their settlement areas by building dikes and drains.

Thousands of people from at least four villages have been taking refuge at Porong Baru market as their houses were flooded by the hot mud.

Some 15 companies in the region have to stop operating because of the mud flow, which is massive environmental disaster.