‘Incredibly rare’: Three people struck by lightning as storm sweeps through Perth

The daughter of an elderly man who was struck by lightning on Thursday in Perth says he is “incredibly lucky” to still be alive.

Michael Day was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital after he was hit while walking his dog on Felstead Street in Hamersley just after 8.30am.

While Day’s serious injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, his dog died at the scene.

“I think maybe he took the brunt of the force of the lightning strike,” his daughter Karyn said.

“Dad’s got burns to his abdomen and thighs.”

She said neighbours heard the strike and found her dad in the nearby park with his clothes shredded and injured. The neighbours then called her.

“We’re just very thankful to our neighbours, because everyone in Hamersley is amazing.

“They called the ambulance straight away and got him the help that he needed.”

Karyn said her 78-year-old dad had been examined carefully by paramedics, who saw his injuries.

“The paramedic said [his abdomen] looks like a tree … with roots coming through, so you can see where the lightning travelled.

“He’s very lucky to still be here with us … and yeah, now we’re just dealing with him getting better and the passing of our beloved pet.”

Two teenage girls, believed to be 15 and 16 years old, were also struck by lightning in Mount Helena at Eastern Hills Senior High School on Thursday.

One of the girls told 9News Perth the experience felt “like I had just been stabbed with a thousand needles”.

“As I got struck it hit my head and then I felt shivers down my spine but on the inside, and then found out it was my spine vibrating,” Georgia said.

She and her friends had been on the tennis courts at Eastern Hills Senior High School when lightning struck a metal post, and then Georgia and her friend.

“I was standing around … talking to my friends about the school ball and then everyone’s hair starts sticking up,” she said.

The girls received some bruising in the incident, and were treated by St John paramedics at the school.

St John Ambulance special operations manager Dean Coxall said lightning strikes that hit people were “incredibly rare” in WA.

“I’ve been in this job almost 15 years, and I’ve never heard of that happening, especially here in Western Australia,” he said.

“It is an incredibly unfortunate and unlikely event.”

Coxall said lightning strikes could impact people’s hearts, brains and even cause burns at the strike’s entry and exit points.

He said paramedics also had to be aware of the dangers surrounding lightning storms when tending to patients, including fallen power lines and trees.

“Lightning strikes account for about 24,000 deaths worldwide every year,” he said.

“We don’t see them as much here in Western Australia, and I think we’re pretty lucky in that regard.”

Coxall said special operations paramedics had worked well in the conditions, and thanked the state command operations centre and those in the critical care team who attended the incidents.

Planes, trains and automobiles delayed by thunderstorm

Meanwhile, the storm spelled havoc for Perth commuters after the city woke to thunder and heavy rain on Thursday.

A Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson said isolated thunderstorms developed through the early hours of Thursday morning off the coast, moving across land and the Perth metropolitan area around 6am.

Jandakot had recorded the highest rainfall with 0.8 millimetres. The Perth Metro gauge had recorded

”These storms are being driven by a deepening west coast trough in the vicinity,” the bureau spokesperson said.

“The slight chance of a passing storm continues today as the trough lingers in the area.

“A top of 29 degrees is forecast for Perth with low intensity heatwaves ongoing in the area. It should be a mostly sunny day overall, with this passing chance of a shower or storm.”

The weather made for a frustratingly long commute into the city – especially for those travelling by train.

Trains were cancelled on the Mandurah line between Elizabeth Quay and Aubin Grove due to a technical issue, with rail replacement buses running.

“Train replacement buses are running between Elizabeth Quay and Aubin Grove. Please allow extra travelling time and be aware that replacement buses may not connect with timetabled bus and train services,” a Transperth statement read.

“Trains will continue to run between Perth Underground and Elizabeth Quay, and between Aubin Grove and Mandurah.”

Meanwhile, passengers on the Yanchep line were told by a train driver that the rain and lightning was “wreaking havoc on the network”.

Others were being told to disembark from the carriages.

Eight flights out of Perth Airport were delayed by the wild weather.

“The delays were due to staff not being permitted onto the airfield during the thunderstorms for safety reasons,” an airport spokesperson said.

Operations at the airport have since returned to normal.

Western Power said outages were at a “standard level”, but there were reports on social media pole-top fires caused by electricity travelling across poles during light rain, mist, or high humidity.

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