Three people were taken to hospital after lightning struck across Perth during a Thursday morning storm with paramedics saying so many injuries in one day was highly unusual.
In the city’s north, 78 year old Michael Day was struck about 8:30am while walking a dog in Hamersley.
He suffered burns to his abdomen and thigh and was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital where he remained in a stable condition and the dog named Messi, died at the scene.
Karyn Avalos, Mr Day’s daughter said that “We’re so relieved that my dad is fine.” She also added that “But we are devastated that we’ve lost our much-loved dog.”
Less than two hours later, paramedics were called to Eastern Hills Senior High School in Mount Helena in Perth’s east after lightning struck near two teenage girls on the school’s sports courts.
One of the girls, 16 year old Georgia Rizzi said a bolt hit a nearby basketball hoop before she and a friend were hurt.
She said that “Everyone’s hair started sticking up before there was a loud bang”. Both girls were taken to hospital to be checked and later discharged, with Ms Rizzi told to monitor her symptoms.
Deane Coxall, St John WA manager said: “I’ve been in this job almost 15 years and I have never heard of that happening especially here in Western Australia.”
The Bureau of Meteorology said about 10,000 lightning strikes were recorded with storms stretching from Perth’s northern suburbs south past Mandurah and pushing inland.
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Forecaster Caroline Crow said the system was linked to a west coast trough and said there were no more thunderstorms forecast for Perth over the next week.
Emergency crews also responded to a house fire in Nollamara and a scrub fire at Emma Treeby Reserve in Banjup both linked to lightning.
The Public Transport Authority said lightning strikes affected signalling on the Mandurah, Yanchep and Thornlie-Cockburn lines with services later resuming though delays were expected.
