BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — A 30-minute hail storm battered most parts of this mountain resort city and other highly-elevated areas of Benguet province, causing horrendous traffic jams but, fortunately, no casualties.

The rare weather phenomenon saw big and small ice crystals falling from the sky, racketing on roofs of vehicles, houses and business establishments.

The hail storm followed a heavy downpour after a humid day in the highlands that forced thousands of schoolchildren to seek temporary cover in various business establishments.

While the initial reaction of city residents was to seek security from the falling ice crystals, most of them later stopped to watch in amazement.

Thousands of motorists opted to stop from where they were caught in traffic considering that the numerous ice crystals from the sky had eclipsed their vision of the road.

In Benguet, farmers have yet to report to their respective municipal agriculturist office if the hail storm caused damage to their agricultural crops that are on their vegetative, flowering and harvestable stages.