PPLS Anticipates Shift in Sidoarjo Mudflow to the West, Optimises Four Dredgers
The Sidoarjo Mud Control Centre (PPLS) has affirmed that the embankments are currently in a safe condition and dismissed reports of a large-scale overflow or leak in the mud eruption area. Nevertheless, PPLS acknowledged some weakening at several points of the embankment due to periodic land subsidence.
PPLS Planning and Implementation Officer Fahmi Zamroni explained that the situation is not a structural failure of the embankment, but rather a natural consequence of land subsidence affecting not only the embankment but also the surrounding area. For this reason, the raising of the railway tracks and embankment is carried out regularly.
“The weakening is not because our embankment has collapsed. There is indeed subsidence at this location, not only on the embankment but across the wider area as well. That is why periodic raising is frequently carried out,” said Fahmi Zamroni when giving a statement at the site on Friday (10/7).
Fahmi revealed that PPLS’s main focus at present is controlling the direction of the mud flow. Based on the latest observations, the dominant flow is now tending towards the west. To anticipate this, PPLS is engineering the flow by directing it towards holding ponds that have been prepared.
“The action we are taking now is to try to control the direction of the flow towards the ponds where our dredging vessels are stationed. These vessels work to channel the mud into the Porong River to reduce the volume held in the ponds,” Fahmi explained.
To ensure the process of channelling mud into the Porong River runs at maximum capacity, PPLS has readied at least four dredging vessels. The fleet is divided between two main holding pond zones: pond 42 on the north-eastern side and pond 25 on the southern side.
Regarding the ongoing policy of optimising and trimming budget expenditure, Fahmi did not deny that it has had some effect on the volume of mud discharged. However, he assured that PPLS’s commitment and responsibility in controlling the mud overflow will not diminish.
In response to reports that the mud level is now nearly equal to the crest of the embankment, PPLS stated that it is preparing a number of strategic measures. Several in-depth studies are being conducted to recalculate the real current storage capacity of the ponds.
“Going forward, there may indeed be several studies on calculating our storage capacity, what its real condition is now. Later, there may be several points where the embankment will be further reinforced,” he added.
Although the technical details of reinforcing the embankment still require further study, Fahmi emphasised that PPLS, together with the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR), will continue to make every effort to safeguard the containment infrastructure for the safety of nearby communities.