Floods have caused a direct economic loss of 43.2 billion yuan (6.65 billion U.S. dollars) this year, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (SFDH) said Thursday.

As of Thursday, at least 239 people have died from floods this year, with 86 people still registered as missing, and more than 36.73 million people have been affected, the SFDH said in a statement on its website.

The flooding has destroyed at least 106,500 houses and about 1.16 million hectares of crops, it said.