Torrential rains this year have left 40 people dead or missing across the country, a decrease of roughly 70 percent compared to the average recorded over the past five years, an official said on Friday.

The drop in casualties has happened despite more severe flooding in many regions as a result of comparatively heavier rainfall, said Zhou Xuewen, secretary-general of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

So far this rainy season, there have been 18 regional torrential rainstorms and southern China has experienced a 10 to 20 percent increase in average precipitation, he told a news conference organized by the State Council Information Office.

Precipitation in Guangdong province and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region is at a record high, said Zhou, who is also Vice-Minister of Emergency Management and Water Resources.

So far, 487 rivers have flooded, 13 of them experiencing their biggest floods on record.