The losses, revealed by the general office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, were however, less than the average level of yearly flood damage of 80 billion yuan, the office's deputy director Tian Yitang was quoted by the Xinhua news agency saying.

So far, a total of 5.49 million hectares (13.56 million acres) of farmland and 71.63 million people have been affected by floods, with 340,000 houses destroyed by flood waters, Tian said.

Since late June, incessant heavy rains have led to severe mountain torrents, mud-rock flows and landslides in several parts of China, with 584 people reported killed or missing, the Xinhua report said.

Among these cases, two major mountain torrent disasters, mud-rock flows and landslides on July 5 and 20 claimed 16 lives and left 87 missing in the Dehong prefectur in southwest China's Yunnan province.

In mid-July, southwest China's Chongqing municipality reported 187 mudslides, leaving 11 people dead.

During the rainy season, major Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Wuhan, have been struck by strong rainstorms, causing severe damage.

Last year, floods claimed more than 1,900 lives and left millions homeless. The worst floods in recent years happened in 1998 when more than 4,000 people died.

China, meanwhile, is bracing for yet another series of tropical storms and typhoons. 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, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

TERRA.WIRE