Severe flooding in Romania threatens the Praid salt mine, one of Europe’s largest salt reserves, which draws half a million tourists annually with its impressive galleries featuring an adventure park and a chapel carved from salt.
Authorities have closed the mine as the worst floods in 30 years in Harghita County, central Romania, have caused a nearby stream to overflow, further inundating parts of the mine.
Local officials say the floods threaten the livelihoods of residents in the town of Praid, who have depended on tourism centered around the salt mine for decades.
“A problem with the salt mine can have catastrophic consequences for the entire region,” said Csongor Zsombori, head accountant at the Praid branch of the state-controlled National Salt Company S.A., which partly owns the mine.
While a portion of the mine has been used for salt production, with an annual capacity of approximately 70,000-100,000 metric tons, its vast galleries also house a medical center and welcome tourists, including those seeking medical treatment for respiratory ailments.
Laszlo Nyagrus, the mayor of Praid, said that miners have removed their equipment and machines and are working to preserve another section of the mine that has not yet been opened to visitors.
“They are trying to save this area, these galleries, by building so-called sluices and dams to protect it, so that at least this part … will not be damaged,” he said.
“We need to look at what can be done very quickly in the tourism sector, what opportunities can be explored or should be explored, so that we can retain as many tourists as dpossible in Praid.”
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