Storm Alfred: Cyclone 'like jet airliners over roof'

A singer in Australia when a cyclone hit said it sounded like "three of four jet airliners roaring over the roof".

David Harrop from Warwickshire, who was in Brisbane, Queensland, for work when the storm landed on Saturday night, said it had been frightening to experience and caused "severe damage" and brought serious flooding.

He said a "beautiful" nearby beach had been completely eroded by the winds and the rain had been so heavy it had stripped the branches off trees.

The cyclone was downgraded to a tropical storm when it reached land, but still brought winds of up to 85km/h and forced tens of thousands to evacuate their homes.

Alfred was thought to be the region's first tropical cyclone in 50 years and Mr Harrop said it caused most of Brisbane to lose its power.

"Driving through Brisbane city was like a ghost town, hardly a single person to be seen in the city's streets," he said.

When the storm was at its most fierce he said the noise came in surges and was eerily quiet at times and the damage had been unpredictable.

The house he was staying in was largely unharmed, but others in the area were badly damaged he said.

Mr Harrop had hoped to have a holiday in Australia while he was out there, but his plans are now uncertain.

But it was not the first cyclone he has experienced.

He was in New Zealand two years ago when Cyclone Gabrielle hit and said friends have told him: "Either I'm follow them, or they're following me."

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