INVESTIGATING NATURAL DISASTERS
CASE STUDIES OF AUSTRALIAN NATURAL DISASTERS
BRISBANE FLOODS 2010-11
1. THE DISASTER
Briefly describe the main features of the natural disaster – what; where; when; why
(use smart board)
2. THE IMMEDIATE IMPACTS
35 lives lost; initially 67 missing, 200,000 affected; 26,000 homes flooded (11,900
completely submerged, 14,700 partially flooded), loss of electricity to thousands of
houses and businesses for several days to weeks, loss of income, compromised
water supply in some areas, disposal of perishable waste, increased likelihood of
water borne diseases; evacuation centres and temporary housing
Increased community bonding
3. LONGER TERM IMPACTS
Infrastructure damage especially to roads, railways, bridges, ports, communications
systems
Loss of income to workers and businesses and government
Costs of rebuilding or renovating homes, need for temporary housing for months for
some people
Insurance issues
Disposal of building and clean up waste
Health issues related to stress and loss
Increased work in the construction industry and suppliers
4. GOVERNMENT RESPONSES (needs cooperation between the three levels of Govt,
often money from Federal Govt and much of the on the ground work by State Govt
departments or local Govt – Brisbane has one local govt for the city (BCC). They
need to provide immediate relief and long term reconstruction.
Immediate and Short term:
Emergency services – evacuations, flood rescue
Queensland Premiers Flood relief appeal - $30 million (distributed to organisations
like the Red Cross
BCC - Pest control brought in to control mosquitoes
1200 defence force soldiers in clean up, moving supplies
Council provide 180 large bulk bins in affected areas for disposal of spoiled food and
perishable goods
$100 cash payment to help with initial cleanup
SES teams from NSW and Victoria to coordinate volunteers
Federal Government - $600 million to approx. 500,000 people disaster recovery
payments and $120 million Income recovery subsidy (not just Brisbane)
Navy personnel and ships in clearing Brisbane River
Centrelink & Qld Dept of Communities – Personal Hardship and Support Grants
NZ Government defence team and rescue team sent to Queensland in immediate
aftermath of flood.
Longer term
Establishment of Queensland Reconstruction Authority- efficient and effective
coordination of recovery and reconstruction effort; coordinate the rebuilding of 60
flood affected communities, decisions to be made on relocating some communities,
structures
Queensland Government – concessional loans and freight subsidies to affected
farmers; farmers low interest loan to $250,000 to fund repair and/or replacement of
damaged plant and equipment, buildings or stock.
Fed and State Govt – disaster relief and recovery arrangements to local government
areas when declared disaster zones.
Federal Government Queensland Flood Levy ( 0.5% - 1% tax) on taxpayers earning
more than $50 000 per year to raise $5.6 billion for infrastructure reconstruction in
Queensland.
Immediate payment $2 billion from Federal to Queensland Flood Reconstruction
Authority.
5. COMMUNITY RESPONSES – mainly in the short term in the period immediately
following the flood. Counselling services a major longer term provision.
11,000 volunteers (coordinated by Volunteering Queensland – Community Response
to Extreme Weather) – link volunteers with needs; after floodwaters recede,
cleaning up. Owners of heavy equipment (earthmovers, bobcats) clean Brisbane’s
streets
Red Cross – 14,600 people in evacuation centres; 25.000 people registered or
inquired through National Registration and Inquiry system; recovery activities in 72
local government areas; continues to support families 12 months later; assisting in
preparation for future storms, cyclones, bushfires; NZ Red Cross team sent to
Queensland
Australian Tennis Open charity event and auction raises $750,000 for flood victims;
Cricket Australia donated match fees for Adelaide game plus crowd donations of
$30,000 to flood victims. Individual businesses fund raising eg Mainbrace
Construction $25,000 to Premiers Flood appeal
SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE YASI
1. THE DISASTER
Fiji on 29th Jan 2011, named Yasi 30th Jan, 1st Feb, Yasi west-southwest towards North Queensland,
stronger, category 5. Crossed coast 12 am - 1am EST, 3 Feb 2011near Mission Beach, 138km S of
Cairns. Max wind speed: 205 km/hr ; Max wind gust: 285 km/hr. Continue westwards across
northern Queensland, weakened to tropical low near Mount Isa 10pm on 3rd February.
YASI fourth tropical cyclone in 2010/11 season; one of the most powerful. Tully, Cardwell, Mission
Beach, Dunk Island near eye major damage; rainfall 200-400mm in the 24 hours some flooding; 5
metre tidal surge, low tide reduced flooding, morning high tide on 3rd February, sea up to 300m
inland
2. THE IMMEDIATE IMPACTS
Cairns airport, ports closed; hospital patients evacuated; 150,000 homes lost electricity, major
transmission lines damaged; one death; flooding cuts Bruce Highway stranding large numbers
including emergency workers; railway line Rockhampton to Cairns closed. Roofs were torn off pubs
and houses, power cables on roads, mature trees and palms toppled; Tully, hundreds homes
completely destroyed, or badly damaged, 90% of the structures on main street extensive damage,
high school destroyed Hinchinbrook area, 70 boats in a harbour have major damage, damage to
marinas. GBRMP and National Parks closed.
3. LONGER TERM IMPACTS
Total losses estimated A$3.5 billion, costliest cyclone to ever hit Australia. A$2 billion lost in
agriculture, mining and local government; A$1 billion lost in the tourism industry. Slowing
economic activity, especially construction, retail, farming and mining ( 80% of Australia’s coking coal
exports, 8% total exports; mines closed from weeks to months, transport difficulties ports, port
damage. Agriculture: 80% banana crop lost; macadamia nuts, lychees, strawberries, mangoes and
watermelons also damaged; damage to sugar cane A$505 million; damage to pastures and stock;
total about $1billion. Increased prices expected for consumers. Rent rises in affected cities,
insurance costs increase. Loss of jobs and income.
Environmental damage – Great Barrier Reef, severe damage; smashed coral beds, movements of
coral boulders, sand and rubble; major disturbance to seagrass beds,
starvation of green turtles; national park damage (roads, walking tracks, camping areas, vegetation)
and habitat loss (cassowary and mahogany glider); Important to tourism industry.
Rebuilding homes, restoring workplaces, and replacing appliances and stock, will generate huge
amounts of economic activity. The same goes for fixing up damaged infrastructure: railways, bridges
and roads so losses of GDP reduced.
4. GOVERNMENT RESPONSES
Queensland Government/ Local Governments
Cyclone readiness: Widespread warnings, evacuations locally or to Brisbane. 30,000 leave Cairns.
Some refuse to leave homes or leave evacuation too late. Evacuation centres in schools and
shopping centres strong enough to withstand the cyclone and storm surges up to 8m high; up to
400,000 people. SES/police rescues but not during major part of cyclone.
The Queensland Reconstruction Authority plans and oversees disaster reconstruction, both Federal
and State money. Federal Government was putting $5.6 billion into the reconstruction program
(flood levy ); A $20 million Rural Resilience Fund - to help fund business and community support
activities, such as farm clean-ups, counselling and social support measures. assistance to 22 local
governments for essential public assets
State and local governments have been praised for their preparation for the cyclone but also
criticised for allowing people to build in very low-lying areas that are going to be impacted by these
sorts of cyclones.
Federal Government
Airforce and Royal Flying doctor service evacuate all Cairns hospital patients to Brisbane. C-130
Hercules (largest defence aircraft ) bring in supplies; perishable goods; military aircraft search and
rescue and medical evacuation; 80 Army and Air Force Officers in food relief and engineering skills;
1500 ADF assist state emergency services.
Centrelink - personal hardship and distress assistance for immediate needs; essential Household
Contents Grant (income and assets tested); Structural Assistance Grant (income and assets tested)
towards repair of the residence to make it safe to live in. 273,000 claims ($309,790,800) Businesses
- low interest loans up to $650,000 for small businesses and farmers; up to $100,000 for not for
profit organisations; clean up grants from $5000 to $20,000 small businesses and community
groups. Wage assistance for employers, up to 13 weeks.
5. COMMUNITY RESPONSES
The Queensland Farmers Federation (QFF) prepared DVD to help farmers recover from the impacts
of Cyclone Yasi, and prepare for future natural disasters. IGA put $5 million groceries on ship; A
medical and social health team from the Townsville Aboriginal and Islanders Health Services Limited
(TAIHS) Doctors, Nurses and Social and Emotional Wellbeing Counsellors travelled to Cardwell, Tully
and Mission Beach to help residents recover and rebuild their lives.
Red Cross teams have moved into Tully and Innisfail to set up permanent evacuation centres for
homeless cyclone. !000’s people assisted to get in touch with family and friends. Distributed
resources to help people with the physical and emotional aspects of the recovery period. Red Cross
staff and volunteers visited 12,000 homes in some of the worst affected areas to check on how
people coping with recovery.
Salvo teams into the worst affected areas of Mission Beach, Tully, Cardwell and Innisfail, to feed
and comfort those people who have had to leave their homes. The Salvos are working with many
agencies within the emergency management disaster plan sourcing supplies of food and other
necessities.
Emergency response organisation, Save the Children says its emergency teams are on standby to
deploy their “Child Friendly Space” workers into north Queensland as soon as possible.
Community events are also being supported by local government and other welfare agencies as part
of a long-term recovery program.
BLACK SATURDAY BUSHFIRES
1. THE DISASTER
7 Feb 2009 (worst day of Jan-Feb 2009 fires); concentrated in the Great Dividing Range
north east of Melbourne; especially around Marysville and Kinglake. Prolonged drought,
weeks of oppressive heat, abundant eucalypt forest. 7 Feb temp 46 o C; gale force winds
(90km/hr); 47 major fires, 14 lost life & significant damage; most deadly Kilmore East,
caused by powerlines, steep slopes, fireball. Late afternoon change wind direction took fire
to new communities. Eucalyptus forests, flammable oils in leaves, carry spotfires ahead of
fire line; thick scrub burn very quickly, dry grasses very combustible and fast moving. One
fires measured as moving 1 km in 6 minutes; largest fire 100 km wide at peak.
Ignition - both powerlines and arson as well as natural factors. A Victorian Fire Authority
volunteer sentenced to 17 years jail for the death of ten people during the bushfires.
2. THE IMMEDIATE IMPACTS
The 2009 bushfires in January and February ravaged many parts of Victoria; 173 deaths,
5000 injured; 2029 homes and many other buildings destroyed, over 400,000 hectares
burnt, killing countless animals. More than 78 communities directly affected. On Black
Saturday Marysville, Kinglake, Kinglake West, Narbethong, Flowerdale and Strathewen were
devastated. People killed both defending their properties and on roads trying to escape
(policy - stay and defend or leave early) Safe evacuation centres – not enough, sometimes
not safe, ill prepared in first days.
More than 19,000 CFA members involved in frontline firefighting, incident management and
support behind the scenes. 600 firefighting trucks, 46 aircraft, 4 large water carrying
helicopters
3. LONGER TERM IMPACTS
Loss of community –people not return, facilities like schools not available. Effects on
relationships and mental health. Community meetings with local council on clean up,
rebuilding often very stressed with different priorities and views. Loss of key staff due to
stress and loss. Two years on 72% rebuilt or moved.
Loss of historical buildings, last pioneer homesteads from goldrush times burnt, only 5
buildings remaining over 100 years old. Loss of forests (timber) and animals; loss of farm
productivity (fine wool and dairy farming)
4. GOVERNMENT RESPONSES
Local Governments – co-ordinate clean up volunteers; implementation building codes,
community consultation and support. Fed Govt grants $2.75 million councils for rebuilding
community spaces; $1.75million for community recovery plans (recording bushfire history
and stories, children’s activities etc; grants up to $100, 000 each for sports clubs in bushfireaffected areas for rebuilding /renovation works; $2.5 million for memorials..
Victorian Government - Country Fire Service (CFS) and SES equipment and training.
Department of Human Services - temporary living grants, re-establishment grant - maximum
payment $8,650,and$8,650 to replace essential household contents.
Royal Commission – causes, problems, preparation for the future; major recommendationsimprove communications, review “ stay and defend or leave early”; greater emphasis on
leave early. Changes to building codes in bushfire prone areas, increased preventative
burning. Victorian Govt response - $167 million to update emergency services
communications systems and integrate between services and into National Emergency
Communication System, $40 million replace vehicles. Fire preparation week in October.
Victoria Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority – oversee rebuilding of public
buildings and infrastructure ($117 million from Fed Govt; $56 from Victorian Bushfire
Appeal Fund) and support rebuilding of homes, businesses and community projects.
Federal Government - $465 million reconstruction and recovery efforts; $82 million in
direct financial assistance to 63,000 individuals; Funeral/Memorial Assistance ($5000). The
Income Recovery Subsidy to employees, small business operators, farmers; equivalent to
Newstart allowance, maximum 26 weeks; business grants and low interest loans $51 million
+ $10 million tourist operators; tax office support and relief to businesses. $2.4 million to
build 11 affordable housing units in Marysville and Kinglake
Health and education - $1,000 to GP’s to provide immediate health care. $1.5 million
emergency nursing home care; $500,000 Home and Community Care services. Mental
health services - $7.5 million mental health support to individuals and communities;
$200,000 to 5 existing community organisations delivering mental health and relationship
counselling. $1.85 million to reconstruct facilities in three bushfire affected schools and
priority access to $14.7 billion Building the Education Revolution Program.
$10.8 million Caring for our Country Bushfire Recovery Program for land management.
5. COMMUNITY RESPONSES
Donations from across Australia - 2009 Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund, $389 million. Panel
of community members and Red Cross to distribute funds
Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health - 2 DVDs on post-traumatic stress
disorder and acute stress disorder, distributed free of charge to doctors, health practitioners
and individuals and families affected by trauma.
Volunteers from surrounding areas to aid in cleanup, rebuilding and animal care. New
organisation Blazeaid formed to works with farmers to rebuild fences and other farm
buildings.
Community remembrance ceremonies.