Heavy rains hit Beijing early Monday morning, causing a severe traffic jam from downtown Beijing to the capital's international airport and delaying all flights leaving from the airport.

The municipal meteorological observatory said at 8:45 a.m. Monday that heavy rains had swept central and southern Beijing. It also forecast heavy rains or rainstorms would continue to hit the city until Monday night.

The strong rainfalls have caused many parts of the main roads inundated by water. By 1 p.m. Monday, traffic was almost stopped along the expressway from the downtown to the airport because of the rains.

The car by a Xinhua reporter moved only two kilometers in an hour along the expressway on Monday morning due to the jam.

According to a broadcast from the airport, all flights leaving Beijing were delayed because of the rainfall.  

(Xinhua News Agency July 31, 2006)