Storm-damaged Sydney drenched by more rain

SYDNEY - An Irish tourist struck by lightning during wild electrical storms in Sydney remains in intensive care.

The 29-year-old man was standing on Bondi Beach about 5pm AEDT (7pm NZT) when he was hit by lightning at the height of Saturday's storm.

He suffered a heart attack and friends administered CPR until he was taken by ambulance to St Vincent's Hospital.

The man was in a serious but stable condition  last night with internal and external burns.

Storms have also lashed Newcastle and the NSW central coast over the weekend, with State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers responding to almost 890 calls for assistance.

Strong winds brought down powerlines and trees, blocking roads and damaging cars and homes, while large hailstones also caused damage.

The SES fielded more than 500 calls from the worst-hit area, the Hills District in Sydney's north west, where more than 35,000 homes were blacked out.

About 70 per cent of repair jobs had been completed late yesterday, with cranes called in to lift trees and power lines, SES spokesman Phil Campbell said.

But the SES was braced for more calls overnight as heavy rain - which caused localised flash flooding in areas such as Bowral, in the Southern Highlands - swept over Sydney.

"There's been very heavy rain, but not as bad as the hailstones and strong winds we had yesterday," Mr Campbell said.

A NSW Fire Brigades spokesman said 80 calls were received in the 90 minutes to 6.30pm, after more thunderstorms triggered flash flooding and electrical fires today.

The brigade responded to more than 700 callson Saturday.

The Bureau of Meteorology recorded 40mm of rain in just 30 minutes today at Blaxland in the Blue Mountains.

With flash flooding warnings still current, the SES warned people to keep away from creeks and storm drains.

- AAP