Roofing partially collapsed on the first floor of Royal Darwin Hospital as a result of the wild weather. Photo: Supplied / ABC News
A New Zealander living in the Australian city of Darwin has survived a "very, very stormy night", as Tropical Cyclone Fina tore through the Northern Territory capital.
Laurent Marsch, who moved from Auckland in March, has been hunkering down in his apartment.
He told RNZ of significant damage, especially to the Royal Darwin Hospital in the northern suburb of Tiwi.
"This is the first cyclone we've had in six years," he said. "This one started at category two and then intensified to a category three overnight.
"It's intensifying to a category four, but it's going over the sea, so just a lot of rain at the moment."
Marsch said several trees had also been uprooted, but he was not quite sure of the extent of the damage to his new home.
"They're still busy assessing that... they'll only know in the next few days, I guess."
The ABC reports Fina was the strongest cyclone to pass through Darwin since the deadly Cyclone Tracy in 1974.
The system was also more powerful than Cyclone Marcus, which struck Darwin as a category two in 2018.
However, Fina has not changed Marsch's mind about his move across the ditch - which came with a $40,000 pay rise in his role as a correctional officer, on top of Australia's minimum 12 percent superannuation contribution.
"There's nothing I miss about Auckland.
"The only thing I miss is my kids and my grandkids - that's the only thing I miss."
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