Parajd flooding causes fish deaths and water contamination in Hungary’s rivers

A major environmental incident near Parajd has released a wave of highly saline water into the Kis-Küküllő stream, threatening ecosystems across Romania and Hungary.

Parajd flood causes danger

A recent environmental incident near Parajd has triggered a cross-border ecological alert, as significant quantities of saline water have flowed from the Kis-Küküllő stream into larger river systems, threatening aquatic life. As Dívány reports, the situation escalated after contractors working in the Parajd salt mine area dismantled water flow reduction dams, originally installed on expert advice, without prior consultation with environmental authorities. This allowed a vast amount of salty water to enter the river system. Romanian Environment Minister Mircea Fechet confirmed that the salt concentration poses a critical environmental risk for the next 24 to 48 hours

The incident stems from flooding in late May when the Korond stream overflowed and inundated the Parajd salt mine, operated by the Romanian state-owned Salrom. The flood affected the tourist and medical therapy levels of the mine, including newer shafts such as the Telegdy mine. Efforts to redirect the stream backfired when the protective dams were removed, leading to severe saline contamination in the Kis-Küküllő. As Délmagyar highlights, this has already disrupted water services in parts of Romania, although Hungarian settlements using groundwater remain unaffected for now.