An aerial view of a neighbourhood flooded by the Acre river which continues to rise from weeks of heavy rainfall in the region including northern Bolivia and eastern Peru, in Rio Branco, Acre state March 13, 2014. REUTERS/Odair Leal
An aerial view of a neighbourhood flooded by the Acre river which continues to rise from weeks of heavy rainfall in the region including northern Bolivia and eastern Peru, in Rio Branco, Acre state March 13, 2014. REUTERS/Odair Leal REUTERS/Odair Leal

The flash flood that hit Sydney on Monday afternoon has killed a man while two others were rushed to the hospital after being struck by lightning.

The flash floods were so intense that a number of cars parked in the streets floated.

The lone fatality, a male, was swept into a water pipe at the Lucas Heights Waste Management and Recycling Centre. Police have yet to fully recover the body and identify the man.

Sydney received 70mm of rain within just an hour as the storm hit before 2pm. Peakhurst recorded receiving 26mm and North Ryde, 15mm.

Those struck with lightning were also males, aged 19 years old and a man in his 50s.

Lightning struck the elder man while he was reportedly using a jackhammer, while the younger man was just standing in a puddle when he got hit.

There have been at least a number of people rescued from six cars caught in the flash flooding, according to Phil Campbell from the State Emergency Service.

"We have now had six flood rescues the SES has been called to this afternoon, most of those have been in south west Sydney and also around the inner city particularly in the Waterloo, Zetland area," he said.

"These have been for people who have driven their cars into localised flash flooding."

Another SES spokeswoman quoted by Nine MSN said they have received more than 200 calls for help.

Drivers are being warned against attempting to drive through the floodwaters.

"We've had reports of people who've been trapped in their cars so we send out our specialist flood rescue team," Mr Campbell said. "But the lesson, of course, is don't go in (to floods) in the first place."

"We're seeing these very fast-rising waters. So if you do encounter that sort of water the best thing to do is to find an alternate route home."