By Sarah McPhee
Severe storms are forecast to return to the Blue Mountains on Thursday afternoon, a day after a group of bushwalkers were struck by lightning while holding on to a steel handrail.
NSW Ambulance said paramedics were called to the lookout area on Echo Point Road in Katoomba, west of Sydney, about 3.15pm on Wednesday to reports of people struck by lightning.
“Paramedics have been told four people were walking the Three Sisters track and holding on to the steel handrail when lightning struck,” an ambulance spokesman said.
He said the four – three women and a man all aged in their 20s – were able to walk out, and were taken to Blue Mountains Hospital in a stable condition.
One of the group, a 22-year-old woman, suffered head injuries during a fall after the lightning strike. She remained in hospital on Thursday morning in a stable condition, while the other three had been discharged, a hospital spokesman said.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned of the possibility of further storms in Sydney’s west and large parts of the state’s south and south-east on Thursday.
Shortly after 1pm, the bureau issued a severe thunderstorm warning for heavy rainfall and damaging winds impacting the NSW Hunter region and Central Tablelands, including Katoomba.
“An inland trough is moving north-eastwards over NSW today, with a moist unstable air mass to the east of the trough favourable for severe thunderstorm activity,” the bureau said.
“Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and damaging winds in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Bathurst, Katoomba, Kandos, Bilpin, Oberon and Trunkey Creek.”
Echo Point lookout towards the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains, pictured on Thursday.Credit: Louise Kennerley
Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill said Wednesday’s major storm had caused chaos.
He said staff at the Echo Point visitor information centre, which overlooks the Three Sisters, had called emergency services for the bushwalkers, while “a large number of visitors” sheltered inside.
“Previous major rain events have caused landslides and trees to come down,” Greenhill said in a social media post on Wednesday night. “We are asking residents and visitors to take extreme care when outdoors and in parks and natural areas.”
He said police had been checking tracks after reports of stranded walkers. NSW Police said officers assisted with escorting people to safety.
In a post about Thursday’s anticipated storm, Greenhill said: “We are all hoping it isn’t as extreme as yesterday’s event, but we just cannot be certain.”
The NSW State Emergency Service said crews had responded to 2066 incidents across the state between December 22 and January 3, including 72 flood rescues. There were three calls for assistance on Wednesday around Katoomba and neighbouring Leura.
“Just after 2pm [Wednesday] more than 20 millimetres of rain fell in just 20 minutes in Katoomba whilst several dozen lightning strikes impacted the area as we experienced an afternoon summer storm,” the local SES unit said on Facebook.
“The weather for Thursday is looking to have a similar risk of a heavy storm in the afternoon or early evening. Volunteers of the NSW SES Blue Mountains Unit will be on alert to respond to any incident that requires our assistance to make safe.”
In the state’s Northern Rivers, some areas have received more than 300 millimetres of rain over the new year period.
“We’ve heard reports of damaged roads and a landslip, and of bridges being washed away,” NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York said in a statement.
“Our crews are working directly with the local councils and communities and remain available to assist with resupply to any isolated residents.”
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