WATCH: Thunderstruck! Astonishing footage shows storms thrashing Australian cities
MELBOURNE and Adelaide were left reeling this morning after being battered by biblical thunderstorms.
Torrential rain and more than 80,000 individual lightning strikes lashed into Australia's southern cities – crippling the cities' public transport networks and sparking life-threatening house fires.
Melbourne, Victoria, was swamped by its highest 24hours of rainfall since September 2013 – as a stunning 25.6mm (one inch) of water fell in the city during the storm.
Meanwhile, across South Australia, it is reported that the jaw-dropping thunderstorms generated more than 80,000 lightening strikes in 24 hours.
Authorities this morning confirmed that the storm had crippled the Melbourne public transport network, although workers were desperately trying to restore a normal service in time for the city's evening commuter rush.
Mark Wild of Public Transport Victoria apologised after confirming the network was damaged when lightning struck a number of installations overnight, generating damaging power surges.
We heard this almighty crash... when we went [downstairs] my daughter smelled smoke and saw the flames and she said 'get out'
He said: "I would like to offer a sincere apology to all our customers who endured a difficult commute to work today.
"The storm overnight was very extensive and affected not only the transport system but the road system.
"Metro have worked tirelessly over the night to make the best we can of it and we’re doing our very best to get the situation back for this afternoon's peak.
"It’s all been caused by lightning storms and some flooding on our lines, it’s quite unprecedented really to get such a combination together."
As trains across the city ground to a halt, rain flooded out onto the roads – leaving some residents trapped inside their cars.
Dozens of breathtaking clips showing the terrifying impact of the Australian thunderstorms have appeared online this morning.
#Melbourne storm last night continues with heavy rain this morning! Photo by Ian Ranson pic.twitter.com/jDV57TxpPc
— Nicholas Vardaxis (@NixStyx) October 26, 2014
Picture taken by Melbourne storm chasers. #LightningShow #ThunderBolts #Scared #NeedMoreSleep ?????? pic.twitter.com/70cRfNrFn0
— KimmyJ (@BriggsKimmy) October 26, 2014
Meanwhile, a family of five were forced to flee from their house after a lightening strike sparked a potentially fatal blaze that quickly tore through the family home.
Jillian Staton, her three children and mother-in-law sprinted from the home in Prahran shortly after 2am, after smelling smoke and spotting flames erupting from the attic.
It caused an estimated £465,700 ($850,000) in damage.
As the fire spread, four other properties in the area were quickly evacuated as a precaution.
Distraught Jillian Staton described the traumatic night: "We assumed that the lightning had come so close.
"It's only afterwards of course when you see that your house is on fire you think, oh it must have been the lightning strike
"We heard this almighty crash... when we went [downstairs] my daughter smelled smoke and saw the flames and she said 'get out'.
"The crack was huge.
"But at the time you think gee, that was so loud and big it feels like it hit the house, but you don't actually imagine that it's going to hit your house."
Ms Staton then praised her quick-thinking son and daughter, who went door-knocking to alert neighbours about the fire.
It is now believed that the fire was triggered by a lightning striking a nearby tree, which then spread to the property.
Sydney in New South Wales, which is currently enjoying balmy temperatures above 86F (30C), could be hit by the same weather system this evening, forecasters have warned.