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Rescuers patrol on the levee in Zhangshu City, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 25, 2010. (Xinhua/He Junchang)
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BEIJING, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Floods in China have killed 379 people this year as of Saturday, and left 141 missing, the flood control authority said Saturday.
Heavy rains and ensuing floods in 2010 have affected 68.7 million people in 22 provincial-level regions and 4.36 million hectares of farmland, according to the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.
The direct economic losses have totalled 82.4 billion yuan (12.1 billion U.S. dollars),
Heavy rains and floods in south and central China had killed 235 people and left 109 missing as of 11 a.m. Friday, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Water levels of major lakes in south China have been rising steadily with some becoming dangerously high.
Poyang Lake rose to 19.51 meters on Saturday morning, 0.01 meters above the safe level. And Dongting Lake swelled to 31.41 meters, but was still 1.09 meters below the risk level.
The Ministry of Water Resources has urged local authorities to keep a vigilant watch on key dikes to prevent bursting.
