A man has been killed after he was struck by lightning during a family trek on New Year’s Day at a popular tourist destination in Central Australia, Northern Territory police said.

The man was hiking on the Rim Walk at Kings Canyon, about 300 kilometres west of Alice Springs, with a family of five when he was struck about 5pm yesterday.

“There were two storms approaching, there were some flash floods and there was surrounding lightning,” Acting Territory Duty Superintendent Vicki Koum said.

“Sadly, a 35-year-old male, he was struck by lightning and he fell to the ground and obviously we had rangers and there were other persons there that assisted and dealt with the deceased.”

Police are investigating the incident and said the area remained open.

“I dare say an autopsy will take place and an investigation as far as the determination or whether it was deceased upon impact of the lighting strike or otherwise, I can’t confirm either way,” Duty Superintendent Koum said.

“It’s a very sad tragedy. Unfortunately it’s a lightning strike, death by nature. Very sad.”

Early yesterday, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe thunderstorm warning for damaging winds and heavy rainfall for people in parts of the Simpson and Lasseter districts.

The warning was cancelled at 9.22am and there were no warnings for the region later in the day.

-ABC