The Chinese capital has been hit with its heaviest downpour in six decades.

Average precipitation has reached 170mm, but in some areas it has been as high as 460mm.

On Saturday a dramatic rescue took place when a couple were trying to save possessions from their already submerged home.

An Jinhong and his wife, Gu Ping, were unexpectedly flushed out of the property by strong mountain torrents.

The fierce floods took them past a pavilion which they clung to for five hours, before being rescued by local officials.

Liu Yongmao, one of the rescue team, said: "I had to drive the fork-lift truck to rescue them because the flood was rising violently."