New Zealand expat describes moment explosion at Ariana Grande concert in Manchester went off

A woman who lived in New Zealand and who now lives in Manchester has described the moment an explosion went off near her home.

Eva Hsu initially thought the loud sound was thunder.

The 27-year-old, who spent six years in Auckland, lives five minutes' walk away from Manchester Arena, where up to 22 people were killed and dozens injured in a suicide bomb attack at the Ariana Grande concert last night.

"I thought it was thunder at first and didn't think too much of it.

"But it was really loud [and] then immediately I heard the evacuation alarm from Victoria train station, which is joined with the arena.''

Speaking to the Herald from her home, she said that following the explosion she heard sirens and the sound of helicopters.

"That's when I started checking the news and Twitter.''

She would learn that there had been dozens of fatalities and even more people, including children and teenagers, had been injured in the attack.

As it stands, the death toll is 22 and up to 59 people have been admitted to hospital.

"They have cordoned the whole area and police patrolling the streets with helicopters all night.''

Despite local police confirming it to be a terrorist attack, she said she wanted people - including New Zealanders - to know that the feeling in the city was not so much fear but the need to unite and help each other.

Taxi drivers were offering their services for free and people had opened their homes to people affected by the tragedy.

"I have considered Manchester my home now and it's not a city that would cave in to any acts like this,'' she said. "We have a forum for the apartment block and people have been using hashtags to offer free rooms to stay or just to charge their phone."