Lightning kills horse rider as weather pounds north

Lightning bolts strike downtown Auckland as the storm lashes the city yesterday afternoon. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

A 61-year-old man and his horse were killed instantly yesterday when they were struck by lightning during an annual hare hunt near Dargaville.

Witnesses say the Auckland man was struck on the top of his head, sending an electrical charge through his helmet, down his body and into the horse.

Dargaville Sergeant Jonathan Tier said four other riders were also hit by lightning, but had minor injuries.

The riders were among 85 people who had gathered for the annual Northland Hunt. They were about half an hour into the event when lightning hit the region at midday.

Local residents have described watching continuous displays of fork lightning travelling directly to the ground over the farm where the hunt was being held. Rider Lionel Unitt was part of the group which was was hit.

"We were just hunting... we had a freak lightning storm come over and it struck unfortunately," he told TVNZ's Close Up programme.

He said he felt a shock in his leg, but was able to stay upright.

The injured riders were all taken to hospital, but Mr Unitt said they were "fine".

Northland Hunt Committee member Donna Austin said the group saw lightning around 11am, but nothing gave cause for concern until shortly before the man was struck.

"It was just one of those bizarre weather events."

She said there were several lightning bolts, and the man appeared to have been struck by the final one.

A nurse, who wasn't part of the official hunt medical team, gave the man CPR within 30 seconds of him being struck but was unable to revive him. The medical team arrived soon after but were also unable to help.

The man's wife, who was also at the hunt but travelling in a vehicle, was last night said to be coping "exceptionally well" and was being supported by friends.

Some riders were expected to continue with the hunt today, but others had been left traumatised.

"He was well known to most of us - a man who was respected in the hunting fraternity," said Ms Austin.

Other riders were distraught after the freak accident which was one of many during yesterday's storm which dropped 94mm of rain between South Hokianga and Dargaville during a three-hour period.