Torrential rainstorms and subsequent flooding became China's dominant weather pattern in July, causing heavy casualties and huge economic losses.

The largest torrential rainstorm since 1892 swept across southwest China's Chongqing Municipality mid-month, resulting in a death toll of 42, rendering 12 missing, forcing 292,000 relocations and affecting a total population of 6.44 million. Direct economic losses are estimated to top 2.4 billion yuan ($315 million). Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the flood-battered city on July 21 to comfort those affected (inset).

Floods also ravaged Gansu Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the northwest, Guizhou Province in the southwest, central China's Hubei and Hunan provinces, and Shandong Province in the east.

China's death toll from natural disasters had reached 715 by July 16, and 129 people were missing, according to statistics from the Ministry of Civil Affairs. A total of 200 million people were affected during the same period by natural disasters, including floods, landslides, gales and earthquakes, while 4.45 million people were forced to leave their homes.