Update 3 - Man killed by lightning in Zabbar
Updated - Adds more pictures below.


A man died when he was struck by lightning this afternoon as the third severe thunderstorm hit Malta in less than 24 hours.


The incident happened in Zabbar, the police said.


Informed sources said the man was in a field, sheltering near a tree, when the incident happened at about 4 p.m.


A woman also fell a height of one storey with her car in Sta Venera. The woman was rescued and is being treated in hospital.

Meanwhile, the Police and the Civil Protection Department warned that people should stay indoors unless strictly necessary.


The Met Office said a low pressure system remains stationary over the Central Mediterranean.

The first struck at about 5 p.m. yesterday and was followed by a more violent one early this morning.



Valley Road - Photo John Portelli.
The situation had been expected to improve, but the weather system
hardly moved and a spokesman for the Met office said the situation is
expected to persist into this evening.
The third thunderstorm broke at about 4.15 p.m. and such was its
intense that people in Valletta could not see the other side of Grand
Harbour.
Motorists returning home from work found the same conditions they had
found when leaving home - with traffic slow or jammed and roads,
particularly Valley Road in Birkirkara/Msida, already flooded.
Motorists also faced difficulties in Qormi, Ta' Xbiex, Gzira and Attard.
Several cars were carried by the raging water in Qormi and Msida.

Source: Times Of Malta http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120903/local/man-killed-by-lightning-in-zabbar.435487

View Current Weather Conditions: http://mostlymalta.webs.com/weatherinformation.htm


See report of this morning's thunderstorm at http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120903/local/streets-flooded-traffic-jammed-after-heavy-downpour.435391