Seven people have been killed from rainstorms in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the Ministry of Civil Affairs reported today.

By 8 a.m. Thursday, 5.18 million people in seven cities and prefectures in Sichuan were affected, the ministry said.

Since July 16, rainstorms have lashed Sichuan Province, destroying 6,676 houses and leading to the evacuation of more than130,000 people.

Neighboring Chongqing municipality has incurred even heavier losses. Thirty-seven people were killed and 14 are still missing.