A gas explosion at a coalmine in China's far west has killed 22 miners and the fate of at least 60 is unknown, state television said.

The blast occurred early on Monday in the Shenlong Coal Mine in the Xinjiang region, when about 87 workers were underground, state television said. Five people were rescued, according to the noon newscast of China Central Television. No other details were given.

The official Xinhua News Agency said earlier that 80 people were trapped, but did not have information about casualties.

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China's coalmines are the world's deadliest, with explosions, floods and fires killing thousands of workers each year. Inadequate safety equipment and lax safety rules are often blamed for the accidents.

There was no telephone listing for the Shenlong mine.

A man who answered the phone at the work safety bureau in Fukang County, where the mine is located, confirmed the explosion and said the cause was under investigation. He refused to give his name or any other details.