Some 8.6 million people have been affected by destructive floods and landslides caused by heavy rain in China, local media report. Officials said that at least 154 people have been killed and the death toll is likely to rise.

The worst-hit was Hebei province in northern China, Xinhua news agency reported. Some 52,000 homes collapsed in the area. Hebei has about 73 million residents.

At least 36 killed by rain-triggered floods, mudslides and other disasters since Thur. in N #China’s Hebei pic.twitter.com/mBqc7XxEpd — People's Daily,China (@PDChina) July 23, 2016

At least 114 people have been killed and 111 are still missing in the province, according to the People's Daily newspaper.

The city of Xingtai alone saw nine people killed, with 11 more unaccounted for.

Torrential rain causes floods and havoc across China https://t.co/wyKO3LbWODpic.twitter.com/h0dh728m1F — euronews (@euronews) July 21, 2016

Henan province in central China, with 94 million people, was also affected by the natural disaster. At least 15 people have been killed and eight are missing there following violent thunderstorms.

READ MORE: 78 killed as storm rips through eastern China (PHOTOS)

A photo posted by People's Daily (@peoples_daily) on Jul 19, 2016 at 8:27pm PDT

Strong winds forced some 72,000 residents to flee their homes and damaged 18,000 houses in the province, Reuters cited local media.

Rescuers used scrapped bus to fix the dike collapsed after torrential rains Fri. in Xingtai, C #China's Hebei. pic.twitter.com/8BM9Np2yIw — People's Daily,China (@PDChina) July 23, 2016

All in all, some 8.6 million people in China have been affected by the storms, state media and local governments said.

26 killed, 34 missing in storms & floods in N China's Hebei Province https://t.co/4T9cTnA9YApic.twitter.com/pOr0sk7QJd — China Xinhua News (@XHNews) July 23, 2016

Photos released in Chinese media showed people standing in the water, evacuated in trucks or just sitting on top of the cars while water is approaching. Other shots pictured debris submerged in a tide of brown mud in the areas affected by the disaster.

China is frequently struck by extreme weather, with various parts of the country often falling victim to floods, droughts, earthquakes, hailstorms and typhoons.

This year’s monsoon floods are the second-costliest on record in China -- $22 billion https://t.co/Fh4gQXPFBUpic.twitter.com/H4xxSa9sXA — Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) July 21, 2016

Earlier in June dozens were killed in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu as the region was hit by a series of extreme weather events, including lightning, rainstorms, hailstorms and a tornado.

Weinan, in NW China’s Shaanxi, issues red alert for rainstorms, warns floods and landslides pic.twitter.com/k8BSnm8lsb — CCTVNEWS (@cctvnews) July 19, 2016

At least 72 killed, 78 missing in floods & landslides triggered by rainstorm in N China's Hebei Province pic.twitter.com/OT2VMDWqi4 — China Xinhua News (@XHNews) July 23, 2016

At least 36 people killed, 77 missing in rain-triggered disasters in N China’s Hebei Province since Thursday pic.twitter.com/4qCthaXo1k — CCTVNEWS (@cctvnews) July 23, 2016

China Braces For More Floods As Torrential Rains Lash Central … : https://t.co/SkC3uYFfES .,,,, pic.twitter.com/lrMg3kqdXy — RMB Investor (@RMB_Investor) July 23, 2016

Latest: Hebei #flood aftermath

-72 dead, 78 missing

-8.6 mn affected

-298,500 evacuated

-14.7 bn yuan economic loss pic.twitter.com/J1bggXWDf6 — CCTVNEWS (@cctvnews) July 23, 2016