JINAN - Rescue work continued Tuesday for 24 workers trapped in an iron ore mine flood in East China's Shandong Province but little progress was made, the emergency rescue headquarters said in a press release.

The daunting challenge is pumping flood water saturated with sludge and slag from the pit, rescuers said.

Although the water level in the shaft was reduced by 1.5 meters Tuesday morning, rescuers said flood water was still gushing from underground.

Dozens of pumps, excavators and other heavy machines are being utilized at the site.

Water flooded the pit of Zhengdong Mining Co in the Fangzi District of Weifang City at around 11 pm Sunday. The city government said 31 people were working underground and seven escaped.

Mine authorities said the workers were conducting maintenance in the pit when the accident occurred.

The mine, with a designed annual output of 100,000 tonnes, received a production permit in February 2009, and operation had been planned to begin this October.