Winny Wang/ Shanghai Daily news

The death toll has climbed to 26 at 10am today as devastating floods and landslides continue to affect Central China's Hubei Province, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs said.

The calamity, triggered by rainstorms from June 27, has hit 3.51 million people in 45 counties across the province, and eight people are still missing, the ministry said.

More than 70,000 victims have been evacuated and the floods have damaged 160,700 hectares of cropland and destroyed 53,400 houses. The loss totaled 793 million yuan (US$104 million), the ministry said.

The ministry sent aid groups to Hubei to assist the rescue work this morning.