As many as three tropical storms are currently forming in nearby waters, and "one or two" are likely to hit China within the next week, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing the China Meteorological Administration.

China has been badly affected by storms and torrential rains this summer, with some officials saying the floods that pounded their part of the country were the worst in decades.

The death toll from rains and floods this year so far has reached around 440, with more than 20,000 people injured and tens of thousands of homes destroyed.

While the rains and floods strike hard every year in rural China, big cities like Beijing and Shanghai this year have experienced unprecendented rainstorm in recent months. Transportation in city centres has often ground to a halt.

TERRA.WIRE