Tianjin hit with heavy rainfall

Rainfall has battered Beijing's neighboring city of Tianjin, paralyzing traffic in downtown areas and submerging many roads, despite the city's precautionary measures.

The rain, which started on Wednesday evening, hit the northern part of the city the hardest. Dasi township in the suburban Xiqing district was the worst-affected area, receiving 34.5 centimeters of rain, according to the Tianjin Meteorological Bureau. The city received an average downfall of 14.7 cm.

Fearing a repeat of the mayhem experienced in the capital on Saturday, when the heaviest rain in more than six decades caused the deaths of at least 77 people, the Tianjin government was prepared for the predicted downpour.