BPBD: Nontoxic water spray containing gas in East Seram

 Ambon (ANTARA) - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Maluku Province has confirmed that the spray of water containing gas is not toxic and does not threaten the health of residents in Waisamet Village, East Seram Regency.

"I have coordinated with the company (Citic) and this morning at 08.00 WIT the Health Safety Environment (HSE) team left for Waisamet Village," said Maluku BPBD Head Hein Farfar in Ambon, Monday.

He explained that the eruption, which was more than 5 meters high, began to occur on May 19, 2022 and was suspected to be a former location for groundwater drilling by one of the OPDs in East Seram Regency (SBT) in 2021, but at that time no water source was found.

According to him, the team that went to the field had also carried out identification and it turned out that it was not a poisonous gas but a jet of water containing gas and flammable.

"The HSE team and the police have also installed police lines so that residents cannot freely enter the location of the burst point," he said.

"The samples have been taken by them to be sent to the oil and gas laboratory in Jakarta to investigate whether this eruption contains mineral potential or not," he said.

Some time ago the same thing happened in the Kobisonta area, Central Maluku Regency, but a few days later the water jet stopped by itself, said Hein Farfar.