Severe flooding in Romania is threatening the destruction of the Praid salt mine, one of Europe’s largest salt reserves and a major tourist attraction drawing over half a million visitors annually. The mine, known for its vast underground galleries, adventure park, and chapel carved entirely from salt, has been shut down as rising waters inundate the region.
Floodwaters from a nearby stream have penetrated sections of the mine in Harghita County, central Romania, following the worst flooding event the area has seen in three decades. The closure has dealt a significant blow to the town of Praid, where tourism centered around the salt mine supports much of the local economy.
“A problem with the salt mine can have catastrophic consequences for the entire region,” warned Csongor Zsombori of the state-controlled National Salt Company S.A., which partially owns the site.
Beyond its industrial output—70,000 to 100,000 metric tons of salt annually—the mine’s galleries also host a medical center offering treatment for respiratory illnesses. Officials fear the potential loss of both economic and healthcare benefits should the flooding cause irreversible damage.
Local mayor Laszlo Nyagrus said miners have evacuated their machinery and are now working to preserve an untouched section of the mine by constructing sluices and dams to divert water and prevent further destruction.
As disaster mitigation efforts continue, Nyagrus emphasized the urgency of developing alternative tourism strategies to retain visitors in the region. “We need to look at what can be done very quickly in the tourism sector, what opportunities can be explored… so that we can retain as many tourists as possible in Praid,” he stated.
Swifteradio.com
