WUHAN - Rescuers searching for six miners who are buried under debris after a collapse in a mine on Sunday morning in Central China's Hubei province said on Tuesday they are unlikely to be found alive.

The collapse happened in the goaf area of the mine from where minerals are removed at Jintai Mining Co, Ltd. in Suixian county of Suizhou city.

The local work safety department, police and fire department are carrying out rescue operations, but the missing miners are unlikely to be alive, rescuers said.

The collapse was triggered by heavy rain, the city's publicity department said.