A cave in which members of a Russian cult have been holed up for months awaiting the end of the world has partially collapsed. More than two dozen members are thought to be still inside.

Oleg Melnichenko is the Vice Governor of Penza region in Russia.

"Cave conditions are quite complicated because it has been flooded by melt waters. It has partially collapsed. Keeping the interests of the people in mind, we had to talk to them in such a manner that they would trust us. We are not eager to deceive them."

Local authorities have been warning that the flood water was gradually deteriorating the conditions inside the cave.

On Friday, Seven women members of the cult emerged and were treated by emergency workers. Melnichenko said the group's leader, self-declared prophet Pyotr Kuznetsov, was brought from a local psychiatric hospital to help persuade the women to come out.

The cult members dug the cave near the village of Nikolskoye and a total of 35 people including four children entered it in early November to await the end of the world, which they said would happen in May. They told authorities that they would detonate gas canisters if police tried to remove them by force.