Cyclone hits Western Australia, destroys Homes (Video)

Cyclone - a violent and often destructive storm in which the wind moves very fast in a circular direction 

Tropical cyclone Seroja has ripped across a 1,000km (621 miles) stretch of Western Australia, leaving a trail of damage - BBC reports.

The category three storm made landfall near the town of Kalbarri on Sunday with gusts of up to 170km/h (105mph). 

The storm was later downgraded to a tropical low, though strong winds continue to move south-east. 

Residents reported smashed houses, fallen trees and downed power lines. 

Kalbarri resident Debbie Major said the storm, which hit the resort town around 19:00 local time (11:00 GMT), raged through the night and was "absolutely terrifying". 

"You just thought, this is it. I would have thought that when we opened the door, that there would be nothing around us except that roof," she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 

"We are a small town. Half of it has been flattened." Weather authorities said Cyclone Seroja had sustained "uncommon" pace and strength overnight, as it moved from Kalbarri and Geraldton on the coast, and inland across the state's Wheat Belt. 

The Bureau of Meteorology said while the storm had weakened, damaging gusts were still expected on Monday, with peak winds of 110km/h. 

Several towns in the state's south-east remain under "red alert," meaning authorities advise residents to take shelter. 

On Monday morning, emergency services agencies said it remained too early to assess the extent of the damage.

  video source - BBC