LAHAD DATU: The mud eruption at Lipad Mud Volcano in the Tabin Wildlife Park near here yesterday, which went viral on social media, was not the first time but had happened before in 2019 and 2014.

Tabin Wildlife Holidays general manager Lawrence Chin said the incident yesterday was witnessed by about eight individuals including tourists and tour guides.

"There were tour guides and tourists on their way for bird watching and visiting the surrounding area, suddenly there was a loud explosion and bubbles came out, the incident lasted for about 10 minutes," he said when contacted by Bernama.

Yesterday, several Facebook pages uploaded a video of the eruption of the mud volcano which grabbed the attention of netizens.

Lawrence said the mud spewed from the eruption was safe and not hot.

Tour guide, Hamit Suban, 43, witnessed the incident at 10 am when he took some foreign tourists for a tour in the Tabin forest area.

"Our first programme after breakfast was to visit the mud volcano area in the Tabin park, I took a group of tourists from the United States to walk 700 metres to the location.

"When we went up to the observation tower to see birds and other animals, we suddenly heard a loud bang before we found a mud eruption in the area," said Hamit, who has worked as a tour guide since 2005 at Borneo Eco Tours Kinabatangan.

He said it was the first time he had witnessed the mud eruption.

Meanwhile, a tour guide from Tabin Wildlife Resort, Amrafel Marang, 42, who has been working in the area for 23 years, said the mud involved is rich in mineral resources so much so it attracts animals to the place.

"This eruption is not the first time, it happened in 2014 and 2019, only this time it was recorded unlike before," he said.

-- BERNAMA