Up until now, China has lost 1,382 people to various kinds of meteorological disasters and their derivatives such as forest fires and mud-rock flows, resulting in an direct economic loss of nearly 100 billion yuan, said Qin Dahe, director-general of China Meteorological Administration on July 31.

Compared with the same period of last year, except drought that has affected a smaller area, rainstorm, thunderbolt, typhoon, dust and sand storm, chilling temperature, snow disaster and acid rain all have caused more serious consequences in China this year, said Qin.

By People's Daily Online