The storm lasted just 90 minutes, but afterwards parts of Asmara, capital of Eritrea, were completely blocked by ice, government-run newspaper Hadas Eritrea reports.
Footage on local television shows streets running with water, and vehicles buried under the hail.
It is by far the heaviest rain ever recorded in the Eritrean capital, the newspaper says. The storm surprised residents with its intensity.
Average annual rainfall in Eritrea, situated on the Horn of Africa, is 61cm (24 inches).
See photos:
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-26576613
Thanks to Dean Koehler for this link