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.

One man died in floodwaters, the authorities said, and over 330,000 customers were without power in South East Queensland.

Ex-tropical cyclone Alfred lingered off the south-east Australian coast on Saturday and forecasters said Brisbane is likely to miss the worst of the storm, a relief for millions of residents in the region who have been staying indoors.