Ivan: Praid Mine has been collapsing slowly since Sunday, which reduces the risk of a catastrophe

Bogdan Ivan stated on Thursday, on Digi 24, that the works to divert the water course that feeds the infiltrations in the Praid salt mine must be completed by July 1.

„The excavators are already on site, they are working in two shifts and it is very important that this activity is completed by the end of June,” the minister declared.

Eight foreign specialists from Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Hungary are currently working, alongside the Romanian experts present on the ground since Saturday. They are analyzing the data taken over by the Romanian Geological Institute and the university professors involved in the evaluation.

The current situation shows seven underground floors flooded. Authorities are now looking for a location to create a salt lake to drain the water from the underground galleries, with three options under study.

Since Sunday, the floor has been slowly falling, reducing the risk of a sudden collapse. This gradual evolution, which could take weeks or months, avoids a catastrophe that could affect homes and the river in the area, the minister says.