700 lightning strikes during Auckland's fierce thunderstorm

More than 700 lightning strikes lit up the stormy sky over Auckland during a violent thunderstorm yesterday evening.

MetService duty forecaster Tuporo Marsters said the city was struck by 701 flashes and rocked by loud, rolling thunderclaps.

The dangerous storm swept across the city at rush hour, grounding flights, flooding homes and shops, and leaving roads knee-deep in water.

Spectacular footage has also emerged on social media capturing the moment a lightning fork struck the top of the city's tallest building.

SkyCity communications manager Rebecca Foote said the Sky Tower took four direct hits during the storm.

She said the tower was fully earthed to prevent danger from lightning with a dynasphere on top of the mast to conduct lightning during storms.