Rescuers are expected to get into the flooded coal mine in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Thursday morning to search for seven trapped workers, local officials said Wednesday.

About 2,700 cubic meters of water have been pumped out, and the rest could be cleared in a matter of hours, said Bian Deyun, an official with the regional supervision bureau on coal mine safety.

The ventilation system in the mine could resume operation and the gas content would be reduced to a safer level, said Bian.

The gas content was hovering around two percent, said Bian.

The seven trapped miners, all rural laborers from southwest China's Sichuan Province, have been trapped since the flooding occurred at 7:10 a.m. Sunday in the Xishan Coal Mine, Urumqi, when 14 people were working underground. Seven escaped.

They had little chance of survival, according to Bian.

The high concentration of gas and serious flooding prevented rescuers from getting into the mine previously.

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