Swathes of northern China were under red alert on Monday as heavy rains battered Beijing and surrounding areas, washing away cars and inundating subway stations.

Deadly storm has been sweeping northwards over China since Friday, with authorities warning millions of people to stay home.

According to state news agency Xinhua, hundreds of bus services in the capital were suspended, while the city government issued the highest flood warning for the suburban Dashihe River.

Footage shared with reporters by a resident of the southern Fengtai district showed a parked van half-submerged in fast-flowing brown water on Monday morning as the rain continued to fall.

A section of road surfaced in the outer Fangshan district and caved in under rising water.

Social media users uploaded footage of vehicles swept away by muddy torrents and thoroughfares turned into rapids on the outskirts of the city.

In one clip posted on Monday on Instagram, murky water was seen swamping a large intersection in the outer Mentougou district next to high-rise apartment blocks.