NOVOKUZNETSK, January 24 (RIA Novosti) - Water was partially pumped out of a southwestern Siberian coalmine, flooded on Monday to drain out methane after a deadly accident, a regional emergencies ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

"Water was pumped out until it reached the intended level that should be maintained,” the spokesman said.

Rescuers have pumped over 7,000 cu m (some 1.8 million gallons) of water in the coalmine following an accident on January 20 that killed four and left four more miners missing.

A total of 77 miners were working underground at mine No. 7 in the Prokopyevsky district when smoke started spreading through the tunnels at around 02.15 a.m. Moscow time [22:15 GMT on Saturday]. Sixty-nine people have been successfully evacuated.