Natural disasters cause fewer deaths, missing in July

BEIJING - Fewer Chinese people died or went missing in natural disasters in July than during the same month last year, according to official data released on Tuesday.

A total of 130 people died or went missing because of natural disasters such as floods, droughts and forest fires last month, down 30 percent year on year, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

Natural disasters affected 43.08 million people altogether in July, along with 5.61 million hectares of crops, forcing nearly 3 million residents to relocate.

Some 27,000 homes were destroyed, and direct economic losses stood at 117 billion yuan (about $16.8 billion), according to the ministry.