The death toll from Saturday's colliery flood in north China's Shanxi Province rises to six after rescuers recovered another miner's body Tuesday morning.    

Another 22 miners were still missing and there was little chance for them to survive after being trapped for three days, according to the rescue headquarters at the site.

The water level underground has lowered half by 50 meters after two pumps worked for over 60 hours. The remaining water could be completely pumped out in about 20 hours, said an official of the headquarters.   

The Fanjiashan Colliery, which was operating with an expired safety licence, was flooded at around 3:30 PM Saturday in the county of Linxian. Altogether 58 miners were working in the pit and 30 managed to escape.   

It is the most serious coal mine accident in China so far this year, said Jin Zhaoming, an official with the State Administration of Production Safety, who has arrived at the mine to help the rescue work.   

The cause of the accident remain unknown.

(Xinhua News Agency March 22, 2006)