China's death toll from natural disasters is 715 so far this year, and 129 people are missing, the Ministry of Civil Affairs reported on Thursday.

The figures compiled to July 16 also showed 200 million people were affected by natural disasters, including floods, landslides, droughts, gales, snowstorms and earthquakes, while 4.45 million people were forced to leave their homes.

More than 533,000 houses collapsed and nearly 26.18 million hectares of farmland were affected.

Total direct losses amounted to 73.58 billion yuan (US$9.68 billion), according to the ministry.

The central government allocated 40 million yuan on Thursday to disaster relief work in flood-hit southwest Chongqing Municipality, the ministry said.

The government has set aside 805 million yuan so far to help with the worst flood-hit areas.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has sent four teams to flood-stricken areas including Jiangsu and Anhui to help medical services. The teams mainly comprise physicians, surgeons, paediatrists, as well as experts on epidemic prevention and disinfections.

Civil Affairs Minister Li Xueju instructed local officials to provide people affected by disasters with enough food, clean water, clothing, accommodation and timely medical services.

Continuous rains have triggered floods and landslides in China's southwest, central and eastern areas, leading to heavy losses in terms of lives and property.

According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Civil affairs, fierce rainstorms have caused more deaths in southwest Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality, Shandong Province, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with nearly 90 people killed and more than 20 missing.

(Xinhua News Agency July 20, 2007)