At least 203 miners were killed, 22 injured and 13 still trapped in one of the worst coal mine gas explosions in China in Fuxin, a city in northeast China's Liaoning Province, the state media reported on Tuesday.

The gas blast occurred at 1450 hours on Monday at the No 3316 working face of Sunjiawan colliery about 242 metres underground, vice-general manager of the Fuxin coal industry group, Zhang Yunfu said.

Rescue operation began immediately and further investigation is under way.

Senior provincial officials have rushed to the mine to direct the rescue and relief operations, China Central Television reported.

China, which depends on coal for 70 per cent of its energy needs, has the most dangerous mines in the world.

Over 6,000 miners died in some 6,300 mining accidents in 2004, according to official reports.

The Chinese government has repeatedly promised to try to prevent major accidents by stepping up work safety and closing down illegal mines dotting the countryside.

One of the reasons citied for the growing coal mine accidents is the energy crunch faced by the fastest growing nation.

This has prompted some mines to overwork at the expense of safety standards.