A man in his 70s is being treated in hospital after being struck by lightning while walking his dog in Perth's northern suburb of Hamersley on Thursday morning. Paramedics rushed him to Fiona Stanley Hospital after the incident around 8:30am.
Two teenage girls were also taken to hospital after lightning struck near them at Eastern Hills Senior High School in Mount Helena, Perth's east, around 10:10am. Both girls sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were treated at Fiona Stanley Hospital and St John of God Midland Public Hospital.
The Bureau of Meteorology reported about 10,000 lightning strikes during widespread thunderstorms across the Perth metropolitan area and south of Western Australia. Meteorologist Caroline Crow said the storms were caused by a deep west coast trough and were not unusual for this time of year.
Jarrahdale in Perth's south-east recorded the highest rainfall with 9.4mm, while other areas received 4 to 6mm. No further thunderstorms are forecast for Perth over the next week.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services confirmed a house fire in Nollamara and a scrub fire in Banjup were both caused by lightning strikes. The lightning also disrupted train services on the Mandurah, Yanchep, and Thornlie-Cockburn lines, causing delays for commuters.
