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.

Alfred is forecast to make landfall near Brisbane, the capital of Queensland and Australia’s third largest city.