With a huge down pour of rain, a video appears to show floating cars in Rosebery. Courtesy: Cam O'Neil/YouTube

A MAN has died after drowning in a stormwater drain at a waste management centre south of Sydney.

The horrific accident happened after nearly 50mm of rain fell in under an hour at Lucas Heights.

A spokesman from Ambulance NSW said paramedics received a call for help just after 3.15pm, but the man was found dead on arrival.

It was the only fatality of the storm, although two people were hit by lightning and a number of motorists had to be rescued from their cars in flash floods.

Tonight commuters are facing a battle to get home.

Commuters face havoc on trip to get home

News_Image_File: A man has died after being washed down drain at Lucas Heights Waste Managment centre. News_Image_File: A man has died after being washed down drain at Lucas Heights Waste Managment centre. News_Image_File: A man has died after being washed down drain at Lucas Heights Waste Managment centre.

Two other people were struck by lightning and scores of drivers were trapped in their cars by flash flooding as storms struck Sydney this afternoon.

SES battle to help motorists stuck in cars

The heavy rains are creating traffic chaos with many Sydney roads closed due to flash flooding.

Motorists have been advised to avoid Alfords Point Road in Menai, which has been closed to northbound traffic at Old Illawarra Road.

Commuters heading to Wollongong from the City have been advised to delay their trip as the South Coast line has been partially closed between Waterfall and Thirroul after landslip detectors were triggered.

Buses have been put on to replace all ferries between Rydalmere and Parramatta due to the Parramatta Weir overflowing.

News_Image_File: Campbell Danks sent in this picture of cars trying to negotiate a flooded road.

News_Image_File: Board riders brave the strong swell and stormy weather at Avoca Beach. News_Image_File: Cars risk driving through a flooded Horsley Drive in Fairfield opposite the Patrician Brothers College.

Other roads affected include The Princes Highway at Acacia Road, Sutherland, The Pacific Highway at Bobbin Head Road, Pymble, The River Road at Canterbury Road, Revesby, Cumberland Highway, Constitution Hill.

The Audley Weir in the Royal National Park has also been closed in both directions due to flood water.

News_Image_File: Cars sit in deep water on Ashford Avenue in Milperra after heavy rain. News_Image_File: Roads were turned into watercourses after the heavy rain hit the area around Bondi. Picture: Adam Taylor

The city was drenched in 17mm of rain in under an hour as the storm hit just before 2pm. It lashed the metropolitan areas as well, with Peakhurst recording 26mm and North Ryde 15mm.

The storm front moved in from western Sydney which was hit earlier this morning with Bankstown copping 56mm of rain by 1pm.

News_Rich_Media: Maroubra is flooded after torrential rain poured down in Sydney.

A man in his 50s was hit by lightning while reportedly using a jackhammer on Gerrale Street, Cronulla about 2.45pm.

“He suffered blurred vision and heart racing and was taken to Sutherland Hospital in a stable condition for further assessment,” a NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said.

A 19-year-old man was standing in a puddle when lightning struck nearby knocking him unconscious on Dransfield Avenue, Mascot about 2.10pm.

News_Image_File: A driver was trapped in his truck after crashing into a power pole this afternoon.

“He’s had an initial loss of consciousness and suffered some tingling in his hands. He was taken to St Vincents Hospital in a stable condition,” the spokeswoman said.

A second patient, a woman in her 20s, was reportedly in the same puddle and suffered tingling to the legs.

A truck driver aged in his 40s was trapped by his legs in the truck’s cabin after crashing into a power pole on Aurora Avenue, Tregear about 2.30pm.

He was treated by paramedics as Fire and Rescue fire fighters worked to free him from the wreckage.

A CareFlight helicopter landed nearby with the on-board doctor to assist with the man’s treatment in an ambulance to Westmead Hospital after he is released. Traffic on the road is blocked as a result of the rescue.

News_Image_File: A car became stuck in flood waters at Milperra. Pic Chris McKeen

News_Image_File: Streets awash in downtown Zetland.

A NSW Police spokeswoman said another driver was trapped in a car surrounded by water on Nancy Ellis Leebold Drive, Milperra and awaiting rescue.

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A Bureau of Meteorology spokeswoman said the bad weather was expected to hang around until tomorrow.

“There’s been heavy rainfall from the Central Coast to the Illawarra and inland to the Central Tablelands,” she said.

“It will continue this afternoon and tonight and even possibly continue tomorrow, with the rain heaviest in the Illawarra region tomorrow.”

News_Image_File: Great weather for open-toed shoes in Sydney’s CBD. Picture: Cameron Richardson.

News_Image_File: Skipping over the puddles in Sydney CBD. Picture: Cameron Richardson.

The SES are responding to two call outs of reports of people trapped in their cars, after being caught in flash flooding, one on Ashford Ave, Milperra and another on Bexley Rd, Canterbury.

A spokeswoman said they had responded to 160 call outs across Sydney, with the majority for leaking and damaged roofs and fallen trees.

She said the calls had been “widespread” across Sydney, with southern Sydney the worst hit.

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Fire and Rescue NSW have also been kept busy with the weather, having been called to 60 incidents within just one hour leading to 2.30pm.

The downpour brought the tram service to its knees with the light rail ground to a halt as storms lashed the CBD about 1.40pm. The cause was minor flooding across the tracks at the intersection of George and Hay Streets at Haymarket.

The run-on effect was that all trams on the line were stopped stranding passengers for about 20 minutes.

News_Image_File: A car stuck in flood waters Milperra. Picture: Chris McKeen News_Image_File: Storm clouds approach Avalon in Sydney's Northern Beaches.

Other roads affected include Bexley Road which is closed in both directions at Bexley North due to flooding. Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

The Bondi-Randwick exit from the Eastern Distributor is also closed at Moore Park due to flooding.

Flooding is also affecting Oxford Street in Paddington, Newbridge Road at Governor Macquarie Drive in Chipping Norton, The River Road at Canterbury Road in Revesby and Parramatta Road at Shaftesbury Road in Burwood.

News_Image_File: Thunderstorms with torrential rain passed over Sydney today. Flooding on Syd Einfeld Drive, Bondi Junction. Picture: Bob Barker.

Motorists are advised to exercise caution and drive to the conditions across Sydney as heavy rain continues to fall.

The following bus services are also affected by flooding: Route 303, 390, 310 and 370 buses are delayed up to 15 minutes in Alexandria. Northbound services are being diverted away from Botany Road. Route 907, 908, 925 and M90 buses travelling between Liverpool and Bankstown are also delayed up to 15 minutes.

News_Image_File: The storm rolling in over Wollongong. Photo: Ian Svegovic

News_Image_File: Forecast ... A wet week ahead for the city

News_Module: Sydney Weather Radar

A severe weather warning for heavy rain has been issued for people in the Metropolitan, Hunter and Illawarra... http://t.co/KYIM2eh5vX — NSW SES (@NSWSES) March 23, 2014

Big Wet about to swamp Sydney. Severe weather warning for heavy rain. Hunter and Illawarra also. #EyewitnessNews — Tim Bailey (@dailybailey10) March 23, 2014

News_Image_File: Storm clouds gather over the entrance to Botany Bay at La Perouse. Picture: John Appleyard

News_Image_File: Surfers enjoy a massive swell at Snapper Rocks. Photo: Luke Marsden.