World's largest mud explosion occurred due to a volcano: Scientists

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New Delhi: Do you know how the world's largest mud eruption took place? A volcano was behind the massive destruction.

As per a study, Lusi, the world's largest mud eruption that began on the Indonesian island of Java in 2006 is not stopping any time soon as it is connected to a nearby volcanic system.

The scorching magma from the Arjuno-Welirang volcano has essentially been "baking" the organic-rich sediments underneath Lusi, says the study.

This process builds pressure by generating gas that becomes trapped below the surface. In Lusi's case, the pressure grew until an earthquake triggered it to erupt.

"We clearly show the evidence that the two systems are connected at depth," says Adriano Mazzini, a geoscientist.

"What our new study shows is that the whole system was already existing there - everything was charged and ready to be triggered," Mazzini said.

The Lusi eruption began on May 29, 2006 and by September 2006 enough mud gushed on the surface to fill 72 Olympic-sized swimming pools daily.

Indonesians tried doing many things to contain the mud and save the surrounding settlements and rice fields from being covered.

The eruption is still ongoing and has become the most destructive mud eruption in history.

The relentless sea of mud has buried some villages 40 metres deep and forced nearly 60,000 people from their homes.

The volcano still periodically spurts jets of rocks and gas into the air like a geyser. 

It is now oozing around 80,000 cubic metres of mud each day - enough to fill 32 Olympic-sized pools.

(With IANS inputs)