(LI TAO)

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (center) inspects flood-ravaged Jilin Province in northeast China on August 3.

Torrential rains since June have affected nearly 4.6 million people in Jilin and forced the evacuation of more than 784,000. Rain-triggered floods killed at least 74 residents and left 71 missing.

In the hardest-hit areas, flash floods have cut roads, isolated villages and disrupted communications and water supplies. Direct economic losses are estimated at 26.4 billion yuan ($3.9 billion).

While visiting flood-affected people in Yongji County, Wen pledged to provide accommodation ahead of the coming winter for people whose homes had been ruined in the flooding.