Drivers have to get off their vehicles which are trapped in a flooded street under the Lotus Bridge of downtown Beijing, July 10, 2004. [Xinhua]

Several vehicles are trapped in a waterlogged street under the Locus Bridge of downtown Beijing, July 10, 2004. A sudden strong rainstorm hit China's capital city on Saturday afternoon and caused traffic problems at downtown areas. The storm brought over 42 mm rainfall to the downtown places within one hour and in the western part of the city the rainfall was more than 25 mm. [Xinhua]

Several vehicles are trapped in a waterlogged street close to a railroad bridge in Beijing, July 10, 2004. [Xinhua]

Vehicles move at a very slow speed in a flooded street close to the Lotus Bridge of downtown Beijing, July 10, 2004. [Reuters]

A sudden strong rainstorm hit China's capital city on Saturday afternoon and caused collapses of six houses and injured two people in addition to traffic jam in the downtown areas.

The shower started at 4:00 pm and continued for two or three hours in the city.

The storm brought over 50 mm rainfall to the downtown places and till 9:00 pm, the rainfall on the average reached 73 mm.

In Xicheng District, an electricity pole fell down in the rain and two guards were injured after they got a shock from the electricity line.

Many cars were nearly submerged and trapped in the water causing serious traffic jams at crossroads, said witnesses.

The temperature also fell fast with the rainstorm. The minimum temperature on Saturday night will be 19 Celsius degree and the maximum on Sunday will be no more 22 Celsius degree, according to the weather forecast.

Meteorologists said the rain is somewhat good for Beijing because the rainfalls in the city were below-average in the past days.