Heavy rains pummel Cairo and parts of Egypt

CAIRO – Rare heavy rainfall has pummeled the Egyptian capital and other parts of the country, with heavy showers flooding roads and a new, leafy suburb east of Cairo.

State news agency MENA reported the downfall, which began late Tuesday and continued Wednesday, forced authorities to close highways connecting Cairo to other provinces.

Also, parts of Cairo's ring road were shut down for several hours, forcing some travelers to spend the night in their cars.

New Cairo, a leafy suburb east of the capital, was the hardest hit, with electrical cables landing in floodwaters that trapped people in their cars.

Many Egyptians shared photos and videos on their Facebook pages, showing cars almost completely submerged.