Heavy rains and floods have killed eight people in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Saturday.

The floods have toppled more than 10,100 houses and damaged more than 29,000 in the province, which experienced continuous rainfall from July 3, the ministry said.

At least 12 cities and 43 counties in Sichuan were affected by the floods, and 99,000 people had been relocated, it said.

The figures might still rise, the ministry warned, as rainfalls continued in the northeastern part of Sichuan.

(Xinhua News Agency July 12, 2009)