Three Bulgarian speleologists and their partners from the Ukrainian-Bulgarian expedition Krubera 2005 have been trapped in the world's deepest cave - Krubera.
Due to the torrential rains continuing for a fourth day in a row, the level of the water in the cave has risen. The members of the expedition are trapped in their camps in the cave located in West Caucasus, Bulgaria's Speleology Federation announced.
Bulgarians Teodor Kisimov and Konstantin Stoilov are with their Ukrainian colleagues at a camp located at a depth of 1,790m.
Svetlomir Stanchev, the third Bulgarian in the expedition, is at a camp at a depth of 1,200m along with Russian speleologists.
It is still not clear when the speleologists will continue with their work, but the rain is expected to go on for another four to five days.
The head of the Bulgarian Speleology Federation Alexey Zhabov was cited as saying that the teams are out of danger, as they are fully equipped and have enough provisions for at least ten days, he added.
The two base camps in Krubera are linked through a wire telephone and they keep in touch.
The Krubera 2005 expedition is a scientific one. Its aim was a new world record for Bulgaria - to reach the depth of 2,160m.
The Bulgarian participants have to study the vertical and the horizontal galleries. The expedition is expected to end October 28.