BEIJING — Fewer Chinese people died or went missing in natural disasters in July than during the same month last year, according to official data released on Aug 4.

A total of 130 people died or went missing because of natural disasters such as floods, droughts and forest fires last month, down 30 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

Natural disasters affected 43.08 million people altogether in July, along with 5.61 million hectares of crops, forcing nearly 3 million residents to relocate.

Some 27,000 homes were destroyed, and direct economic losses stood at 117 billion yuan (about $16.8 billion), according to the ministry.