As of October 8, bad weather has caused direct economic losses of 155.8 billion yuan (19 billion dollars), with over 1.22 million buildings destroyed, Xinhua news agency, citing E Jingping, vice minister of water resources.

Some 210 million Chinese have been affected by the flooding that has inundated some 16 million hectares of croplands throughout the nation, it said.

Flooding and landslides caused by rains in mountainous areas were responsible for some 1,085 deaths, while typhoons that struck China's southern and southeastern coasts were responsible for the rest, Xinhua said.

Last month the Civil Affairs Ministry said that floods, landslides and other natural disasters had claimed 1,630 lives in China this year through mid-September.

Floods have always been part of life in China, but officials say this year had been more devastating than usual.

Since serious flooding of the Yangtze River in 1998, China has spent billions of dollars on flood mitigation.

Major rivers have been brought under greater control and early warning systems have been put in place, but flash floods and landslides caused by unprecedented rains have done serious damage.

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