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ALMA-ATA, January 13 (Itar-Tass) - The rescue operations at the Abaiskaya mine in Kazakhstan were discontinued over the threat of another blast of methane, the republican Ministry for Emergencies reported on Sunday.

“The rescue operations have been suspended over a high content of methane,” the ministry’s report says. “Rescuers were brought to the surface, and teams on duty are monitoring the situation. They explore methods of fulfilling further rescue operations.” A total of 23 miners remain underground, and their fate is unknown after the methane blast two days ago.

“The situation has deteriorated: methane concentration in the mine is 6.2 percent, while air temperature is plus 90 degrees Centigrade. The situation became dangerous for the operation of rescuers, and a decision was taken to discontinue the rescue work in the mine for 12 hours,” chief engineer of the Komir paramilitary rescue service of the Kazakh Ministry for Emergencies Gennady Selinsky told reporters on Saturday.