Four people have been struck by lightning near the Sydney Opera House as wild storms triggered a mass blackout and delayed Taylor Swift’s private jet.
Two men and two women were rushed to hospital after being injured by lightning strikes while under a tree in the Botanic Gardens at about 12.45pm.
A man in his late teens and a woman in her 20s have been taken to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
A man and woman aged in their 30s have been taken to St Vincent’s Hospital.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued across the Greater Sydney region, as many suburban areas face possible flash flooding.
The wild weather plunged the rail network into chaos with many commuters advised to allow for extra travel time or to find alternative transport.
Sydney was lashed with heavy rain on Monday as a severe thunderstorm warning was issued
Pictured: storm clouds massing over Parramatta in the city’s West
The deluge plunged the rail network in chaos just hours before the peak evening rush
There are major delays on the North Shore & Western Line due to severe weather damaging rail equipment at Milsons Point and North Sydney.
Other lines are advising customers that stops and platforms may change at short notice due to the severe weather conditions.
Earlier, the storm delayed Taylor Swift’s private plane by up to 30 minutes as the popstar flew from Melbourne to Sydney.
Swift and her team were seen departing Melbourne at about midday on Monday ahead of her next four-day run of shows in her Eras Tour in the Harbour City. The mega-star landed safely at 1.25pm.
After landing, she is expected to be taken to a penthouse at Crown in Barangaroo.
The pop superstar, 34, will perform four shows in Sydney from Friday before she heads off to Singapore.
Fans were seen sheltering under umbrellas as they arrive at Sydney Airport to welcome Taylor Swift
Swift’s jet was delayed by half an hour as the popstar arrived in Sydney on Monday (pictured: eager fans wait to snatch a glimpse of her at Sydney airport)
The hitmaker was spotted boarding her private jet in Melbourne earlier in the day wearing a Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII Champs baseball cap in tribute to her boyfriend Travis Kelce (pictured)
The Shake It Off hitmaker wore a dark mini skirt paired with a red T-shirt that revealed a glimpse of midriff for her flight.
She paid tribute to her boyfriend Travis Kelce by wearing a Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII Champs baseball cap after his team’s big win earlier this month.
Swift was accompanied by her entourage as she climbed the stairs of her Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, which boasts a double bed and fine dining cabin.
More than 13,000 homes and businesses in Sydney’s northern suburbs lost power on Monday
A Coles in Balgowlah is seen in total darkness after a major storm hit the city on Monday
More than 13,000 homes in the city’s northern beaches lost power just before 1pm on Monday as heavy rain, strong winds and lightning lashed the city.
Residents in Fairlight, Manly, Balgowlah, Balgowlah Heights, Seaforth, Manly Vale, Killarney Heights and Mosman were plunged into darkness are all impacted.
Ausgrid estimated power would be returned to homes and businesses by 3pm.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe thunderstorm warning for heavy rainfall, damaging winds and large hailstones for much of NSW.
The heaviest downpours were recorded in Kings Langley, in Sydney’s north-west, which had 48mm of rain in an hour.
FREAD MORE: Taylor Swift shows off her legs in a mini skirt as she is seen for the first time in public in – and pays tribute to boyfriend Travis Kelce with one special accessory
Swift paid tribute to her boyfriend Travis Kelce by wearing a Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII Champs baseball cap after his team’s big win earlier this month