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The Forum > Article Comments > What a difference a day makes: Katrina to Cairns > Comments

What a difference a day makes: Katrina to Cairns : Comments

By Edward Blakely, published 21/2/2011

The reaction to Yasi was so effective because the lessons from the flood, Hurrciane Katrina and other disasters was so recent.

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“--we know from Cairns luck improves with preparation.”

Cairns’ luck had more to do with the fact that cyclone Yasi crossed the coast 120 kilometres south of the city rather than ten kilometers north of it.

The community risk for Cairns remains much the same as it was more than a decade ago when the Multi-hazard Risk Assessment for Cairns, provided by what is now Geoscience Australia, was published.
Posted by colinsett, Monday, 21 February 2011 8:14:24 AM
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What silliness! Cairns had a little bit of strong wind. New Orleans had a hurricane. As for Tully, Cardwell, Mission Beach, Dunk Island, Ingham and, to a much lesser extent, Townsville ... well, they didn't fare so well as the Cairns region.
Posted by Otokonoko, Monday, 21 February 2011 2:19:12 PM
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I tend to agree with the 2 comments so far - this is rather a foolish article. The cyclone passed to the South of Cairns. To my enormous relief it passed just south of Innisfail where I live. Wind strengths in Cairns were much less than in Townsville. It was a very large cyclone, but I suspect will be found on analysis not a very strong one. My guess having had a good look round at tree damage and in particular whether the poor things had any twigs left (they nearly all do)I suspect that it will turn out to have been a 4 at most. If I am wrong, well so be it.

Neither Tracy or katrina were much of a learning thing for coonstruction in the NE tropics. there was an upgrade of rules after Althea in Townsville in the Early seventies. Further changes occurred, especially for ridge top buildings after Winifred (Innisfail)in 1986, and of course there was the powerful though small Larry. Poor Innisfail again.
Katrina is irrelevant. if you build a city below sea level...well, what do you expect? Construction methods in Darwin prior to Tracy seem to have been low, lacking adequate bracing and roof strength.

What we do learn each time is the importance of precautionary organisation for the post cyclone period. As one who has been through more than enough cyclones I feel justified in saying that the organisation for the peoples relief has been superb. it also seems possible that the post Larry 'kill all trees' policy has been stopped. Certainly after Larry there was planning through the Terrain NRM to improve that aspect of recovery.
Perhaps the author would do well to reconsider his opinions especially his views on the significance of Katrina and Tracy. His emphasis on organisation before the event was spot on though.
Posted by eyejaw, Monday, 21 February 2011 2:48:31 PM
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In the Cardwell area it looks like there has been a nuclear agent-orange attack.

Townsville got flogged by the equivilant of a cat 3, some would say a weak cat4.
Posted by Aka, Monday, 21 February 2011 3:39:32 PM
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I would be in agreement with some of the above comments.

A severe cyclone will take the leaves off native trees, and that did not happen on a large scale. All areas were spared a major tidal surge, as the cyclone did not cross the coast at high tide.

Improved building codes certainly have helped, and there was some good organisation that also reduced risk.

Of great concern is Mackay that does not have one designated cyclone refuge center for a population of 120,000, when there are 3 major shopping centers, plus innumerable solidly built warehouses that could be used as cyclone refuge centres.

Of concern is also the southeast corner of QLD. It is only a matter of time before a severe cyclone goes over the top of Brisbane, and the state of QLD is now so centralised, it will bring the whole state to a standstill.

Also of concern is the state of Australia’s navy. It is so lacking in engineers and skilled personnel, most of our naval ships are non-operational and could not be used to give aid to the north of QLD if they were required. Luckily they were not required

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/defence/cancerous-morale-risks-our-navy-fleet/story-e6frg8yo-1226008439486
Posted by vanna, Monday, 21 February 2011 7:17:14 PM
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vanna, I don't know where you and others are getting your information from. Let me assure you the tv pic do not do justice to the destruction caused by Yasi.

All the native trees leaves were stripped in Cardwell/Kennedy area and most of Tully. The place was stripped, big trees smashed and twisted. In my yard 3 mature coconut trees were twisted from thier roots at the base of the trunk. I have not been to the beaches near Tully but I have heard they were very hard hit.

The leaves of trees were minced. My home had minced leaves throughout the whole place - they came in through any possible gap in louvres etc. Thankfully, due to the rain and sunshine most of the trees are getting small leaves emerging (unlike after Larry when it rained so much nothing grew for ages).

A person living 10 km inland from Cardwell said that the rain during the cyclone was salt-water.

I find it astounding to read the opinions of people who are obviously not from the area where Yasi hit, or who have not visited it
Posted by Aka, Monday, 21 February 2011 11:42:58 PM
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