CHENGDU, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Continuous rainstorms have affected over 656,600 people as of Saturday in southwest China's Sichuan province, said the provincial flood control authorities.

As of 5:30 p.m. Saturday, over 62,600 people have been forced to relocate to avoid geological risks caused by this round of rainstorms, according to the Sichuan provincial headquarters of flood control.

Severe rainstorms, which started on Thursday, battered 23 cities and counties of Sichuan, flooded about 28,960 hectares of farmlands and collapsed about 8,500 houses.