UPDATE: Russian regional govt pumps 5,000 cm of water from Uralkali mine

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PERM, Nov 21 (PRIME) -- The authorities of the Perm Region have pumped 5,000 cubic meters of saline solution from a flooded mine of fertilizer producer Uralkali, and the inflow of water has reduced, a source in the administration of Solikamsk, where the mine is located, told PRIME Friday.

“5,000 cubic meters of saline solution is an emergency, state services just may not cope with this amount of work. The situation is now returning to normal, the solution influx has reduced. Works to save the mine are underway but it is hard to say how much time it will take,” Mayor Sergei Devyatkov said.

On Tuesday, Uralkali evacuated all workers and halt production at its Solikamsk-2 mine after it saw an influx of saline solution. The Emergency Ministry said it detected soil subsidence to the east of Solikamsk-2.

A technical oversight authority will prepare a preliminary report on the situation at the Solikamsk-2 mine and its surroundings until November 27, a spokesman for the regional office Ilya Malko said.

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