Authorities have confirmed that the damage to Romania’s Praid Salt Mine is irreversible, marking the permanent end of one of Europe’s largest salt reserves. Approximately seven million cubic meters of water inundated the mine following the May floods.
The closure has devastated the local community and its 2,000 guesthouses, which relied on the mine’s €10 million annual tourism revenue. With no clear plan for recovery or restoration, the disaster marks the end of an era for the region’s tourism-driven economy.

