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By Nick Bryant

BBC News, Sydney



Cyclone-style storms have ripped through parts of Queensland on Australia's east coast.

They killed one man, destroyed homes and left more than 200,000 properties without power.

The storms hit the state capital Brisbane and the popular tourist areas of the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.

This was the worst storm to hit Brisbane in a quarter of a century, unleashing hail, torrential rain and strong winds.

Residents in one of its most badly-hit suburbs have said their streets resemble a war zone.

Most of the trees over 10m (33 feet) tall have simply been snapped in half.

"It looks like as if a bomb, a great big bomb, [has] gone off in all the street," said Davina Thomas.

"We can't get out of our street, just walking down to the corner, there are power lines down, there are trees across the road, all we hear is ambulances or sirens I'm not sure which.

"It's terrible. My daughter's had a roof blown off, it's in the pool!" Ms Thomas said.

A 20-year-old man was swept away in flash flooding and drowned, as he was sucked down a drain.

At the height of the storms more than 200,000 homes and businesses lost power.





