Heavy rainfall has been sweeping across parts of Northern and Northeast China. The storms caused traffic delays and many flights have been delayed or cancelled.

Beijing received a huge sudden downpour at around 3pm Sunday, local time. The clouds were so heavy that the capital almost fell into darkness. Some vehicles became stranded on the roads, and the storm prompted officials to declare a "Blue alarm" - the lowest emergency level.

Northeast China also suffered torrential rain, with thunder and hail storms. Some areas saw over 50 millimeters of rainfall within just 2 hours. Parts of the country’s south also suffered severe storms.

Weather forecasters say the bad weather could last another 3 or 4 days. It’s prompting fears that flooding could occur along the country’s waterways.