A strong storm surges across Sydney, striking four people with lightning, setting houses on fire, and requiring flood rescues.
A lightning strike at Sydney’s Botanic Gardens knocked out four individuals amid a violent storm that also resulted in buildings catching fire and flood rescues. Tens of thousands of lightning strikes were reported in the city, and by 5 p.m., the storms had dumped up to 57 mm of rain on Sydney.
Just after 1pm on Monday afternoon, the group—which included a teenage boy, a lady in her 20s, and a man and woman in their 30s—was taking cover under a tree when the lightning struck. Six ambulances arrived on the scene, with intensive care specialists among them, and paramedics stabilised the group.
All four patients, who had suffered burn injuries and were exhibiting cardiac symptoms, were attended to by paramedics.
They were transported in a serious but stable state to several hospitals in Sydney.
While the other two were brought to St Vincent’s in Darlinghurst, the adolescent and the woman in her 20s were taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
Three houses in separate Sydney neighbourhoods caught fire as a result of lighting strikes.
Firefighters moved fast to contain the incidents in Baulkham Hills, Bronte, and Sylvania, resulting in no casualties or fatalities.
After securing the area and turning off the gas line, firefighters put out the fire.
Following flash floods caused by torrential rain, the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) responded to more than 300 calls for assistance, primarily from Sydney, the Hunter, and the mid-north coast.
Seven rescues were conducted by the SES. Lightning strikes have been known to set trees on fire; one such incident occurred at Gordon in the north of the city.
Although the Greater Sydney area is no longer under a severe weather warning, portions of the North East, Central West, and South West slopes are still under one, with some storms predicted to last until midnight.
To connect homes in regions like Balgowlah, Clontarf, Turramurra, Hornsby, the Central Coast, and Lake Macquarie, crews are working late into the night.
