Beijing returned to normal Sunday despite drizzle after it was hit by a sudden strong rainstorm on Saturday afternoon, which caused collapses of five houses and injured three people in addition to traffic jams in the downtown areas.

According to statistics from the city's anti-flood and drought headquarters office, the rainstorm toppled 59 trees and made 4,698house leaking. Three injured people have no life danger. They were hurt by a wire pole which fell in the rain in the Xicheng District.

There were 137 places of roads and residence where rainwater pooled and caused traffic jams or affected residents' activities, according to the office.

The thunderstorm started at 4:00 pm and continued for about three hours in the city. The storm brought an average of 23 mm rainfall to the city, and rainfall concentrated in downtown places and southern suburban districts of Fangshan, Daxing and Huairou. Its maximum downpour at 106 mm occurred at the Tiananmen Square area, according to the office.

Experts of the office however said the rainfall had little helpfor water-starved Guanting and Miyun reservoirs, both major water sources for Beijing, because the majority of rainfall went to southern parts of the city while the two reservoirs are located north of Beijing, which is suffering severe water shortage.

Lu Hao, vice mayor, has ordered the Beijing Production Safety Bureau to inform lower production safety authorities across the city to take proper measures to prevent accidents in heavy rains.

Construction in the rain has been banned and workshops and small enterprises with hidden dangers must be shut down, according to an announcement by the Beijing Production Safety Bureau, which has so far received no report of production accidents because of the rainstorm.

(Xinhua News Agency July 11, 2004)