BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Flooding has resulted in the death of 59 people this year, with 13 unaccounted for, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has said.

About 5.85 million people in nine provincial regions in south China had been affected by floods as of May 13, which caused direct economic losses of 8.86 billion yuan (1.36 billion U.S. dollars).

Average rainfall nationwide amounted to 104 mm, the second heaviest  rainfall since 1961. The south has seen 13 downpours, and 99 rivers have risen above their warning level.

China's national observatory on Sunday renewed a blue alert for heavy rain in the south in the coming two days.