Close to a Solution in Praid, Hungarian Engineers Assist

Two engineers from Hungary are participating in the effort to save the salt mine in Praid, Transylvania. They are helping determine how to prevent a cave-in, as this is the only way to begin pumping water out of the mine.

The disaster in Praid is threatening the livelihoods of many people (Photo: MTI/Nandor Veres)

Two Hungarian water construction engineers—Attila Lovas, head of the Central Tisza Region Water Directorate, and Sandor Barkasz from Bekes county—visited Praid (Parajd), Romania to assess how Hungary could assist the local residents. The Bekes county news outlet Beol spoke to Sandor Barkasz while he was in Praid.

The water flowing into the Praid salt mine has caused massive damage (Photo: MTI/Nandor Veres)

Praid and the surrounding villages rely heavily on tourism, and the disaster is making the work of both tourism workers and those employed in mining impossible,

he said. They were just 25 meters away from the spot where water, flowing at a rate of 20 cubic meters per second, vanished underground, flooding the mine. Shocking video footage was also captured at the scene.

We met with outstanding local experts to discuss the permanent prevention of the collapse and how to divert the water flow, as this is the only way we can successfully pump the water out of the mine,

Sandor Barkasz told the regional news portal.

To read about the solutions discussed with local engineers and what the future might hold for the salt mine, click here (article in Hungarian).

Cover photo: The disaster in Praid is threatening the livelihoods of many people (Photo: MTI/Nandor Veres)