Pessimistic scenarios. Domino type events at Praid
The Minister of the Environment, Mircea Fechet, warns about the situation in Praid. He says that we could see domino type events, caused by partial bucks at the old mine.
« It is the darkest scenario that they take into account, so far, the national and international experts who have united their forces for one purpose: maximum safety for inhabitants and risks for the entire ecosystem in Praid, » the minister shows.
« We could see in Praid the Domino type events, caused by partial bucks at the old mine, but they would not greatly affect the area. The salinity of the water downstream would increase suddenly, but it would be a temporary increase.
It is the darkest scenario that I take into account, so far, national and international experts who have joined forces for one purpose: maximum safety for inhabitants and risks for the entire ecosystem in Praid.
I am in direct contact with the specialists who monitor the situation 24 of 24 and with the field teams, and the information they receive shows me that things are moving in the good direction, according to the intervention plan established in the operative meetings.
The builder contracted by Salrom continues the works of capturing the water of the Corund stream and deviation through the pipes anchored in the slope.
The evolution of the craters is monitored by specialists with the help of drones and Lidar technology, because they want to have a clear painting, permanently updated, from the point of view of mine geomorphology.
Meanwhile, international experts work with Romanian specialists, put together measurements and digital models of the mine surface, analyze the dynamics of the underground erosions of salt and come with proposals for complementary technical solutions for the deviation of the Corund stream. Specifically, I’m talking about a new waterproofing technology.
The first solutions recommended by experts have already been put into practice and works. The colleagues from the Romanian waters installed two successive thresholds in the Corund river (at 195 m and 75 m upstream of the access bridge). The speed of water flow has been reduced, which means a certain stabilization in the craters area of the mine ceiling, we have a temporary balance between influxs and evacuations in the underground system of the mine. Also, the chloride concentrations have been reduced, and the conductivity records slight decreased trends.
Next, ABA Mureș collects daily water samples from Corund, Târnava Mică, Târnava Mare and the Mureș river, which were affected by chloride pollution, and periodically checks the quality parameters.
I recall, ANAR allocated funds of 3.1 million lei for the start of the feasibility study at the accumulations that will mitigate, in the future, the risk of floods on Corund.
Solidarity and teamwork make every day count and bring an important plus of expertise and confidence that we will find the best solutions, as soon as possible, to protect people and nature in Praid, and at the same time to evacuate – safe – millions of cubic meters of underground salted water. I thank those who have mobilized to stabilize the situation! «
