Heavy rains since July 8 have affected 18.3 million people in regions along the Yangtze River, leaving 43 dead and 18 missing, China's flood control authorities said Monday.

The death toll released by the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (SFDH) excluded deaths caused by lightning strikes.

A total of 39,000 homes had collapsed, 755,000 people had been evacuated and 974,000 hectares of crops were affected by floods, resulting in direct economic losses of 10.6 billion yuan (1.57 billion U.S. dollars), according to the SFDH.

By 2 p.m. Monday, the water levels in major lakes and streams along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River had been slowly rising, according to the SFDH.

Continuous heavy rains pose a significant threat to small reservoirs since they are less resistant to rising water, said Cai Zhengzhong, spokesperson of Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters of Anhui Province where water in 709 small reservoirs was reported above the safety level.

Relocation and rescue is underway. Hubei Provincial Civil Affairs Department and Finance Department earmarked 22 million yuan on Monday to compensate victims' families, send relief to the evacuees and rebuild damaged houses.

But the rain is not an ill wind. Drought in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region is expected to be eased with the upcoming rains in mid July, according to the region's Meteorological Center.

Drought, beginning last October, hit the area along the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet where the area' s main farmlands are located, according to the center.