The Praid salt mine, in danger
One of the most important tourist attractions in Romania, the salt mine in Praid has been closed due to flooding
Mihai Pelin, 28.05.2025, 13:50
The Praid salt mine, one of the most famous and visited salt mines in Romania, located in Harghita County (center), is facing a major risk of collapse. Following heavy rain in recent days, the waters on the slopes have accumulated in the Corund stream, whose flow has increased significantly. The special material used for drainage has deteriorated, and water has begun to enter the salt mine, endangering its structure. The volume of water cannot be controlled, local authorities have warned. Efforts have been made to build a bypass channel around the current watercourse area to take over some of the pressure, and two transverse dams have been built across the Corund stream. The mayor of Praid village, Nyágrus László, says there is still no solution in sight to save the salt mine.
“Unfortunately, the improvised banks did not hold. That is the problem. And now the water from the Corund stream is entering the salt mine. Unfortunately, we cannot do anything serious, because the flow is too high, 100 times higher than normal. We are trying to find a solution”.
The mine platform has become inaccessible, and the company has decided to temporarily withdraw both the workers and the equipment from their positions, until the flow decreases. The Harghita Emergency Situations Inspectorate (ISU) intervened promptly. High-capacity equipment was mobilized to evacuate the water, but without much efficiency. The opening of recreational activities in the mine will be possible only after the effects of the latest floods have been assessed and the structural expertise of the recreational base has been completed, the company that commissioned the first geophysical expertise reports. Even if it is flooded, however, specialists say that it would take months for the water to dissolve the salt, so for now, the stability of the mine is not under threat. Harghita is not the only county affected. Storms and heavy rain have wreaked havoc in recent days in almost all of Romania. Currently, the risk of flooding has increased for more than half of the country. Hydrologists have issued red, orange and yellow alert codes, valid until Friday, and the Emergency Situations Inspectorate crews have intervened to evacuate people, drain water from households and remove fallen trees in several settlements. Some county roads were blocked, and in Bacău County, three settlements remained isolated after the destruction of a bridge. Rail traffic was also disrupted. Authorities warned that the population in some villages in Botoşani County could be evacuated due to the threat of flooding. Firefighters went from house to house to warn people of the danger. Shelters have already been prepared, although some people refuse to leave their homes. (VP)
