One year on from Cyclone Alfred: what have we learnt?

With Cyclone Narelle’s impact already being felt in Queensland and now threatening to reach as far south as Perth, local communities and businesses are bracing for its severity and financial impact.

It follows the recent anniversary of Cyclone Alfred which also struck Queensland, causing almost $2 billion in damages. One year on, The Insurance Council of Australia and has renewed their call for urgent climate resilience investment, while insurers call on the Federal Government to delivery an uplift in climate resilience.

As assessments warn that extreme weather events will only continue to become more frequent, severe, and costly, FM’s Operations Chief Engineer, Mike Hunneyball, is reinforcing the need for businesses to take preventative action to mitigate damages:

“Unfortunately, Australia suffers some of world’s highest insurance losses per capita, and with the severity of extreme weather events continuing to worsen, it’s not a matter of if, but when businesses will be impacted by a major weather event.”

“As Tropical Cyclone Alfred showed us last year, the investment required to rebuild businesses and communities is only increasing. With total costs for national disaster support expected to reach 13.5 billion, the experience serves as a reminder that disruptions and recovery go beyond just damage repairs.”

“In particular, flood and cyclone events can further hamper businesses through lengthy periods of downtime, revenue losses, availability of repair resources, and access to support during and after a disaster.”

“All this underscores the need for enhanced preparedness and resilience.”

“At FM, we believe that with the right planning and preventative measures, damage and losses like this can be minimised.”

“With strong stream flows expected in Queensland over the coming months, now is an important time for businesses to begin rethinking their preparedness for climate events. By undertaking comprehensive risk assessments and developing tailored mitigation strategies, businesses can remain prepared to take on potential climate risks.”

As such, FM recommends three key steps for businesses to better understand their climate risk and prepare for extreme weather events:

1. Creating Emergency Response Plans

Creating and implementing detailed Emergency Response Plans is the first key step to improving your business’ resilience. These plans should guide incident response teams and outline the roles, responsibilities, and evacuation procedures of individuals during a severe weather event.

2. Understanding disaster scenarios

Understanding potential cyclone and flood scenarios including warning times, duration, and anticipated damage is vital for informed decision-making and risk mitigation efforts.

3. Engaging with local communities and suppliers.

Engaging with local communities and suppliers can bolster support and resource availability during disasters. Businesses should speak to local emergency services to advise on the best measures to act if disaster strikes.

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