A developing tropical cyclone could threaten New Zealand next week, a weather prediction website has warned.

Only a freakish combination of weather conditions could see a storm with the force of Cyclone Yasi reach New Zealand.

Cyclone Yasi, despite causing massive damage, did not leave anyone dead or seriously injured.

Personal stories of how Kiwis hunkered down as Cyclone Yasi surged through north Queensland.

The Queensland town of Tully is emerging as one of the worst-hit with estimates that half the homes are damaged.

Shoppers may be forced to fork out up to $13 a kilo for bananas as 90 per cent of Australia's crop may have been wiped out.

A South Island couple unable to escape Cairns before Cyclone Yasi hit overnight felt so safe in their hotel they slept, then watched the huge storm from their balcony.

Evacuation centres in Cairns and Townsville will remain in lockdown due to a second, dangerous storm surge in the wake of Cyclone Yasi, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says.

Amid the chaos and devastation of Cyclone Yasi, a yet-to-be named baby girl has been born at a Cairns evacuation centre.

Messages from Twitter and Facebook as north Queensland wakes up to the devastation of its worst battering in recent history.

Former Tall Black Phill Jones converted his master bedroom's walk-in wardrobe into a virtual bunker to protect his family against Cyclone Yasi.

Cyclone Yasi is building as a storm of unprecedented ferocity - the likes of which hasn't been seen since 1918 - and already it is lashing the Queensland coast.

Get out now. Don't bother to pack your bags. Just gather your family and leave. That's the grave directive Premier Anna Bligh has made to people in low-lying parts of north Queensland under direct threat from monster Cyclone Yasi.

'The most serious cyclone you can have' is how Queensland Premier Anna Bligh is describing the storm set to ravage the state tonight. The storm has been upgraded to a Category Five cyclone - the most severe level imaginable.