Five people are trapped in a cave in southwestern Slovenia due heavy rains. According to authorities, the incessant rains paved way for the water level to increase making it difficult for the trapped people to escape.
The group includes a family of three and two guides who have been stuck in the Krizna Jama cave. The group has been trapped since Saturday when water levels rose inside, blocking the way out.
Meanwhile, rescue efforts had begun to get them out of the cave. Slovenian rescue teams say divers have reached the group, moved them to a safe spot envisaged for such emergencies, and set up a heated shelter where they will have to wait for water levels to drop.
All five people are fine, said Igor Benko, the head of Slovenia's Speleological Association.
The tourist group were exploring the 8-kilometer (5-mile) cave system with a chain of underground lakes. Visitors are allowed inside only along with tour guides.
It might take a few days for the passage to be safe again, Benko told the STA news agency.
Around 35 cave rescuers and eight divers from all over Slovenia are involved in the rescue operation. According to authorities, firefighters and members of the civil protection force are also involved in the rescue efforts.
Krizna Jama is the fourth biggest known underground ecosystem in the world in terms of biodiversity, Slovenia's official STA news agency said.
(With PTI inputs)
