By Our Correspondent

National News – Rescue teams in Laos have confirmed that five villagers were found alive after being trapped for a week inside a flooded cave system in Xaysomboun province.

The incident occurred following heavy rainfall and landslides that blocked the cave entrance last Wednesday, leaving a group of seven villagers stranded underground.

The group had entered the remote cave, located about 120km north of Vientiane, to search for gold deposits and wildlife resources.

As flooding intensified, rising water sealed off exit routes and turned narrow underground passages into dangerous water-filled corridors.

Rescue teams from Laos and Thailand deployed specialist cave divers to navigate extremely tight and unstable tunnels, some measuring just 50cm wide.

The operation required careful movement through submerged rock formations and low-oxygen pockets deep inside the cave system.

Officials confirmed that five survivors were located alive and in stable condition, while two other members of the group remain missing.

The cave’s complex structure and ongoing flood conditions significantly slowed rescue efforts, raising concerns about safety and survival chances.

Authorities say the search and rescue operation remains ongoing as divers continue to work through unstable tunnels, contaminated air pockets, and submerged rockfalls.

The cave, described by specialists as an abandoned gold mining site, presents severe hazards including near-zero visibility and continuous water pressure caused by heavy rain.

Rescue coordinators estimate the trapped group was located roughly 300 metres from the exit, requiring deep penetration into hazardous underground terrain.

International cave diving experts have joined local teams to strengthen the response effort, drawing on experience from previous large-scale cave rescues in Southeast Asia.

Officials also noted that informal mining and foraging activities led villagers into the cave system despite known risks.

The primary objective remains locating the two missing individuals while ensuring the safety of rescue personnel operating under extreme conditions.

Emergency teams have warned that weather conditions remain unstable, with additional rainfall likely to worsen flooding and further restrict access routes inside the cave.

The incident has drawn comparisons to earlier high-profile cave rescues in the region, highlighting the persistent dangers of underground exploration in flood-prone environments.

Authorities continue to advise residents near remote cave systems to avoid entry during the rainy season due to unpredictable water surges and structural collapses.