Swimmer Critical After Lightning Strike as Severe Storms Build Across NSW

A man in his 20s was in a critical but stable condition on Sunday morning after being struck by lightning while swimming at Ettalong Beach, on New South Wales' Central Coast, according to The Guardian. The strike happened on Saturday afternoon, as storms moved across the state.

Fellow swimmers pulled the man from the water, and first responders gave him CPR, a method of trying to restore breathing and heartbeat. He was taken to Gosford Hospital in serious condition and was later transferred to Royal North Shore Hospital.

The storms on Saturday brought heavy rain to large parts of northern and eastern NSW and much of Queensland. Wind gusts reached 98km/h in Goulburn, and the Coffs Harbour area recorded rainfall of between 30mm and 50mm.

Forecasters expected more of the same on Sunday. Sarah Scully, a senior meteorologist with the Bureau of Meteorology, said the day was expected to be another big storm day, with very dangerous and severe thunderstorms likely in north-eastern NSW. The Guardian reported that storms in that region could produce hail more than 5cm in diameter and winds above 120km/h.

A wider area was also under threat. Severe storms with hail around 2cm, wind gusts over 90km/h, heavy rain and flash flooding were possible across an area that extends to the inland ranges east of Sydney and into south-east and central Queensland.

Sydney was forecast to see storms on Sunday, but less severe than those further north, with rain likely and a temperature of 23C. Brisbane was forecast to have showers and thunderstorms, with a top temperature of 31C.

The threat was expected to shift on Monday. The risk of high-end severe thunderstorms was forecast to move into the Northern Rivers region of NSW and south-east Queensland, including Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. Forecasts pointed to giant hail, destructive winds and intense rain that could cause life-threatening flash flooding.