The weather bureau has warned of severe thunderstorms with very heavy rain and possible flash flooding accompanied by damaging winds today in New South Wales covering an area stretching from Port Macquarie and Tamworth over Newcastle and Sydney as far south as Nowra in the south and Orange in the west.
Four people were rescued in the Blue Mountains last night following a landslide as the area was lashed by thunderstorms.
Police and rescue officials say the landslide near Katoomba occurred at the Giant Stairs, at Echo Point after a storm in the region, trapping two men and two women after being struck by falling debris.
One of the men was also struck by lightning and officials say the rescue operation was hampered by bad weather.
The four were eventually carried out on stretchers after a rescue helicopter couldn't reach the site due to harsh weather.
The man with burns from the lightning strike has been taken to Concord hospital, while one of the women has been taken to Liverpool Hospital, the other two people are at Katoomba Hospital.
