Rescue teams in Laos are searching for two people believed trapped in a flooded cave for nearly two weeks after heavy rain blocked the main entrance.

Five of the seven originally trapped villagers have already been rescued, while efforts continue in Xaisomboun province.

Teams from Laos, Thailand, and several other countries are pumping water out and searching for alternative entrances, including dry passages and air shafts.

Rescuers warn that ongoing rainfall, narrow flooded passages, and ventilation challenges are making the mission extremely difficult, the AP reports.

The villagers reportedly entered the cave to search for valuable minerals before a flash flood trapped them inside.