Drivers who received parking fines after being forced to abandon their cars on Saturday during the downpour will not have to pay up, Beijing government announced Sunday night.

Vice mayor Ji Lin said that under the circumstances, it would be wrong to levy fines. He declared all the fines invalid, the municipal government announced on its Weibo account.

A great number of Web users had taken to microblog sites to condemn the traffic wardens who were busy handing out tickets Sunday morning. Many posted that parking attendants should show greater compassion after the flooding.

Di Weijie, who lives in Beiyuan, Haidian district, said he saw two traffic wardens issuing tickets at 9:50 am Sunday morning.

"Traffic wardens always come out to give fines after it rains, but considering the heavy rainstorm, many residents came home late. They really shouldn't do that," said Di.

The government's action is one of the few which won praise instead of criticism from the public during the weekend storm.

Beijing traffic management bureau said last night that any attendants who ticketed abandoned cars would be relieved of their current position.

Global Times