This year, China has witnessed its highest rainfall in decades, as a result of the El Nino phenomenon. But authorities say that the impact of the downpours has been reduced, thanks to the introduction of disaster warning systems and construction work like the Three Gorges Dam.

From the destruction caused by the recent tornado and hailstone storm in Jiangsu, to the downpours that have caused 200 rivers to exceed their flood alert levels... China has certainly been hit hard by extreme weather this year.

"Over the past three months, South China has witnessed over 20 regional rainstorms, a record high. Accumulated rainfall reached new highs in 155 cities and counties. The extreme weather is mainly caused by the 21-month long El Nino phenomenon, which ended this May," said Zheng Guoguang, Director-General of China Meteorological Administration.

China's meteorological administration has compared the situation to that of 1998, when China witnessed its most severe flooding in half a century. Over 80,000 square kilometers of farmland were flooded, and more than 200 million people were affected, with thousands killed.

Rainfall over the past three months has been even higher than the same period 18 years ago, but authorities say the losses this year are expected to be significantly lower.

By June 28th, floods since March had claimed around 8,000 square kilometers of farmland. A total of 23 million people have been affected, with 161 killed and 31 missing.

"China's water projects like the Three Gorges Dam have helped reduce and delay the flood peaks. Meanwhile, disaster warning systems have also effectively saved many lives. This year, we sent out over 9,000 torrential flood warnings. Over 1 million people were relocated to safe places before the the disasters hit," said Liu Ning, Secretary-General of State Flood Control & Drought Relief Headquarters.

Despite the improvement, authorities say prompt responses to these warnings are crucial, particularly in the country's remote rural areas.

"We must make sure that disaster warnings can reach every single village, and that they have specific evacuation plans when they receive the warning. We must also make sure that officials are held accountable should they ever fail to act properly," said Zhang Jiatuan, Vice Director of State Flood Control & Drought Relief Headquarters.

Challenges remain high in July and August, which are China's major flood seasons. Authorities say they are prepared for the worst case scenario and will do their utmost to minimize the losses and protect people's life and property.