An eight-year-old boy has been hospitalised after being struck by lightning while swimming at a popular New South Wales beach on Australia Day.
The youngster was swimming at Warrilla Beach at Barrack Point near Shellharbour in New South Wales when the horrific incident happened in the early evening of Thursday.
According to local reports, he was swimming in the sea when he was hit by a bolt of lightning at around 5.20pm on Australia Day. It is said that the child has scars and burns on his chest and he was unconscious and not breathing when life guards dragged him out of the water.
The child received CPR and was rushed to Westmead Hospital under police escort. He remains in critical but stable condition.
Witness Mohammed Shohel told 9News: "They were trying to resuscitate him. It was pretty bad."
Nearly one million people flocked to the beach for the Australia Day public holiday as the Surf Life Saving NSW had to keep their eye on anyone in distress.
In Wollongong, 12 people needed rescuing in the sea at Wonoona while 20 people were in distress off Maroubra in east Sydney and needed pulling from the water.
Across the public holiday, Surf Life Saving NSW said 10,000 preventative actions were performed and 41 major incidents were dealt with by its members.
On Thursday, severe thunderstorm warnings were issued by the Bureau of Meteorology as temperatures reached as high as 33C in the area before a cloud font moved in.
The State Emergency Service warned that damaging winds and large hailstones were likely and advised residents to move their car under cover or away from trees, unplug computers and appliances, avoid using their phones and stay indoors away from windows.
It is the second shocking incident to happen in the state this month after a little girl died in tragic circumstances after choking on her favourite snack in her mum's car.
Imogen Lennon, five, was on her way home to Canowindra, in Central West New South Wales, Australia when she suddenly started choking.
Sitting in the back seat of her mum Samantha's car, Imogen began struggling after she was given a deli frankfurt to eat on January 16.
Samantha rang for an ambulance but was told it was too far away to make it in time. She drove her daughter to the hospital herself with the help of a passerby.
Despite the efforts, little Imogen sadly passed away in hospital.
