Beijing ran for cover as the city witnessed its heaviest rainfall this year yesterday, with a precipitation of 19 mm.

Rain lashed the capital at 5 am, just minutes after the Beijing meteorological bureau signaled a yellow warning of thunder and lightning at 4:35 am and continued through the day, throwing life into disarray, with several streets clogged with water.

The urban area of Beijing stayed especially wet, with an average precipitation of 26 mm, the bureau said.