BEIJING - A new round of rain beginning on Monday was expected to batter Central, East and South China, where 98 people have died and 78 are missing due to rain-triggered floods, landslides and other disasters, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Sunday.

By Sunday torrential rain had triggered floods and landslides in 13 provinces, affecting 10.4 million people and destroying 645,000 hectares of farmland, according to the CCTV report.

It also said the direct economic loss had reached 8.7 billion yuan ($1.34 billion) and a level-3 emergency alert over the recent floods had been declared.