PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL
The Chinese capital's heaviest rainstorm in six decades has killed 37 people, flooded streets and stranded 80,000 people at the main airport, China's state media reported on Sunday (July 22).
The storm, which started on Saturday (July 21) afternoon and continued late into the night, flooded major roads and sent torrents of water tumbling down steps into underpasses.
The Beijing city government said on its official microblog that at least 37 people had died. They said 25 drowned, six people were crushed under collapsed homes, five electrocuted and one struck by lightning.
More than 500 flights were canceled at Beijing's Capital International Airport, the Beijing News added.
The subway system was largely unaffected by the floods but was swamped with people desperate to get home and unable to use cars, buses or taxis.
The city received about 170 mm (6.7 inches) of rain on average, but one township in Fangshan District to Beijing's west was hit by 460 mm (18.1 inches), Xinhua news agency said.
The Beijing city government said on its website it was working to get the metropolis back on its feet, and warned people to prepare for further bad weather.
