Around 725 people have died due to floods in China due to the overflowing Yangtze river. But media reports say that the figure could have been worse had it not been for timely measures by the government. In last year's floods more than 4,100 lives were lost. The ministry of civil affairs has said in a statement that around 5.5 million people in 23 provinces have been evacuated from their homes since June when the monsoons arrived.

The ministry said that around 11.31 million hectares (ha) of crop land had been inundated, of which crops on 1.56 ha had been destroyed. Some estimates put the total economic costs at US $8.06 billion. Experts believe that last year's flooding was the worst in four decades costing the country around US $20 billion. But some say the worst is yet to come as the flood season is around the corner.