BANGKOK — On May 26, rescue teams at a flooded cave in Laos announced they were deploying pumps to drain water to free five local residents trapped inside for more than a week. The search continues simultaneously for two others whose whereabouts remain unknown.
According to local officials, the cave is located in a remote area of Xieng Khouang Province in northern Laos. Heavy rainfall over several days caused water levels to rise, flooding the cave entrance and isolating the group inside.
Rescue teams are using high-capacity pumps to lower water levels, allowing access to the victims. Medical personnel and rescuers are standing by at the site, ready to provide first aid and transport survivors to hospital once freed.
The incident began on May 18, when a group of seven people entered the cave to collect forest products and were swept away by rising water, leaving them trapped. Among them, five have been able to communicate with rescuers via mobile phone, confirming they are safe but in need of food and water. The other two remain out of contact.
The Xieng Khouang provincial government has mobilized local rescue forces and experts from neighboring provinces, coordinating with international rescue teams experienced in handling flooded cave situations.
Meteorologists warn that heavy rain may continue in the coming days, threatening to slow draining progress. Rescue teams are racing against time to safely extract the five and expand the search for the two missing individuals.
