A man died after being struck by lightning in Marsascala yesterday during the third violent thunderstorm in less than 24 hours.

The 39-year-old man from Marsascala was out hunting in a field with a 25-year-old friend when a lightning bolt struck him, according to the police. The incident happened at around 5pm.

The bizarre fatality was the only one reported yesterday as a bout of low pressure over the central Mediterranean caused the thunderstorms that were accompanied by heavy rainfall and strong winds.

The first storm struck on Sunday night while two storms followed yesterday at 5am and 4pm.

Roads in flood-prone areas were transformed into rivers as chaos reigned and traffic snarled to a halt across all major arteries.

Birkirkara was the worst hit as the gushing water carried cars down the valley, crushing them against the retaining walls and trees.

In Santa Venera, a woman who abandoned her stalled car was swept away by flood waters and fell a height of one storey. She suffered serious injuries.

The police were repeatedly warning people to stay off the streets as rescuers from the Civil Protection Department worked overtime to pull people out of their cars in stricken areas.