A surprising geological phenomenon occurred in Pingtung County, Taiwan, on Monday (6/7) morning when a mud volcano erupted without warning. One-meter-high mud spouts erupted from two vents located not far from the Huang Yuan Temple in Wannei Village.
Wannei Village Chief, Chen Yu-yi, stated that the eruption was first detected around 8:00 AM local time. The two vent holes spouting mud material are approximately 50 meters apart. Fortunately, the overflowing material did not damage crops as the surrounding farmland is currently lying fallow or unplanted.
As a precautionary measure to minimize further impact, local authorities immediately deployed heavy machinery, including an excavator. This action was taken to direct the mud flow so it would not overflow and damage surrounding active agricultural land.
The Pingtung County Government explained that this activity is a natural phenomenon triggered by high-pressure methane gas under the earth's surface. The gas forces groundwater through dissolved mudstone, ultimately pushing the mud material to burst through geological cracks to the surface.
According to local government records, this location is known to be geologically active with a history of routine eruptions at least once a year since 1988. Although this eruption is the second one to occur in 2026, the situation on the ground remains under control by the authorities.
