KAIXIAN, Chongqing, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Temporary classrooms are being prepared so the 7,000 students affected by Saturday's gas well leak in southwest China's Chongqing municipality can return to class next week.

    Only about 1,000 children -- mostly those graduating this summer -- have been able to attend classes since the leak sparked a mass evacuation in Kaixian County.

    Zhao Yuankun, an official of Kaixian County Government, said new houses had been rented for use as makeshift classrooms for students who were forced to evacuate their homes or whose schools had been turned into accommodation centers.

    Other student evacuees were attending schools near their temporary accommodation, said Zhao.

    The 3,400-meter-deep Luojia No. 2 well, which is owned by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), began leaking around 7 a.m. Saturday during final tests before starting production.

    The well is near the Luojia No. 16H well, where a gas blowout killed 243 people on Dec. 23, 2003.

    A third attempt to seal the No. 2 well ended early Friday, but it was not yet known whether it had been successful, said officials dealing with the accident.

    About 15,000 people living near the well were evacuated. Enditem