East Lampung Residents Use Clam Shells to Patch Potholes in Viral Video

A video showing residents in East Lampung Regency working together to patch potholes on a main road has gone viral. Instead of using traditional asphalt or cement, the community is utilising piles of seashells to fill the gaps.

This self-help initiative is a rapid response from residents to the increasingly poor and dangerous condition of the local infrastructure. According to reports from local residents, the severely damaged road serves as a vital access route for economic mobility and the daily activities of the local population.

Lia Esyantri, a local resident, explained the reasoning behind choosing seashells to level the road in the village. She noted that the uneven road conditions have caused motorcyclists to fall and suffer punctured tyres, creating a significant safety hazard.

“The stones are sharp, and when motorbikes pass over them, they often cause punctures. Covering them with shells is safer. Over time, the shells will break down and the surface will become smoother,” she said on Tuesday.

Lia added that the seashells are obtained for free from residents who work as shell-peeling labourers. This waste material is being repurposed as road-covering material so that residents do not have to incur any costs.

“The shells are obtained for free from residents who work peeling shells. So, they are indeed being utilised to cover the road,” she revealed.

The repairs are being carried out through community mutual cooperation (gotong royong). Residents are taking turns filling the damaged sections of the road while hoping that the government will soon provide official asphalt paving.

“We are working together in shifts. While waiting for the government to pave the road—since some roads have already been paved, perhaps it can be done in stages,” she expressed.