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Prince William sees cyclone recovery work in Australia | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Prince William has visited cyclone-ravaged parts of Australia on a tour that has taken in areas of New Zealand devastated by last month's earthquake. | |
Queensland premier Anna Bligh said: "It's been almost impossible for these people, but a little royal magic is just what the doctor ordered." | |
The prince saw various parts of Queensland and met people affected by Cyclone Yasi last month. | |
The worst storm to hit the state for a century battered coastal communities. | The worst storm to hit the state for a century battered coastal communities. |
Prince William visited the towns of Cardwell and Tully, which the category five storm devastated. | |
Banana and sugar cane crops were destroyed and power to more than 180,000 homes severed. | |
One of those he met described the terror of the cyclone. | |
Joyce Kanowski, 68, from Cardwell, said: "It was absolutely terrifying. It sounded like a freight train would come straight through the wall of the house. We were waiting for the walls to disintegrate and the roof to come off. | |
"There were roofs all over the street and fences in trees, how someone didn't die I don't know." | |
The prince met Red Cross worker Noelene Byrne in Tully, who may have saved hundreds of lives. | |
She explained:"I had a call to open two Red Cross centres on the morning coming up to the cyclone. The one centre which was Tully senior citizens' hall was an old building, a timber-structure. | |
"I just felt given the severity of the cyclone that was predicted it wasn't safe there. I closed that centre, transferring them to the other hall. | |
"The morning after the cyclone passed I had a phone call to come and have a look and it was just demolished." | |
The cyclone compounded misery in Queensland, where floods had claimed dozens of lives and destroyed hundreds of homes since December. | The cyclone compounded misery in Queensland, where floods had claimed dozens of lives and destroyed hundreds of homes since December. |
Janet Lobegeier said of the royal visit: "It lifts all the spirits of the whole town and it just lets you forget about things for a while and it's exciting, he's a prince!" | |
Honeymoon joke | |
He also travelled to the city of Cairns to pay a visit to the Royal Flying Doctor Service and meet others involved in the recovery effort. | |
The prince, who is making the trip without his fiancee Kate Middleton, is travelling on behalf of the Queen. | The prince, who is making the trip without his fiancee Kate Middleton, is travelling on behalf of the Queen. |
In Cairns he joked about returning to Australia for his honeymoon. | |
Tania Moore, who moved to Australia 10 years ago from Winchester, Hampshire, explained: "He asked me what I'd be up to today and I said, 'Oh I've been up to the Great Barrier Reef with my kids. It's just stunning - you should go there'." | |
She said he replied: "No I wanted too, but I won't have time." | |
Ms Moore said: "I asked him when he was going to come back and he said, 'well we might have to come back for our honeymoon'. Everyone started shrieking and applauding." | |
Speaking earlier this month, a St James's Palace spokesman said the visit had been arranged following invitations from the prime ministers of New Zealand and Australia. | Speaking earlier this month, a St James's Palace spokesman said the visit had been arranged following invitations from the prime ministers of New Zealand and Australia. |
Earlier, in Christchurch, New Zealand, William said the people's response to the earthquake made them "an inspiration". |