China's workplace safety situation improved markedly in the first quarter, with both the total number of accidents and the death toll down by more than 20 percent year-on-year, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Wednesday.

Shen Zhanli, a spokeswoman for the ministry, made the remarks at a news conference in Beijing. She said that from January to March, a total of 3,258 workplace safety accidents were reported nationwide, down 27 percent from a year earlier, and no extraordinarily serious accidents occurred.

The accidents left 3,122 people dead or missing, down 23 percent year-on-year, she said.

However, Shen warned that major accidents remained frequent in some regions and sectors. She also noted a rebound in illegal production activities in industries such as mining, chemicals, fire safety and fireworks.

Shen said pressure to prevent and contain major and extraordinarily serious accidents is increasing, and the workplace safety situation remains challenging.

The official also briefed the media on natural disasters in the first quarter.

She said China's natural disasters in the first quarter were mainly low-temperature rain, snow and freezing weather, snow disasters, wind and hail, and earthquakes. Meanwhile, drought, floods, forest fires and geological disasters also occurred to varying degrees.

Preliminary statistics showed that the disasters affected 750,800 people to varying extents, left six people dead or missing, and caused direct economic losses of more than 1 billion yuan ($146 million), according to the spokeswoman.