Along with Tropical Cyclone Alfred came important conversations around preparedness, communication and resilience, with Natural Hazards Research Australia (the Centre) one of many expert voices providing information ahead of, during and after the emergency in the media.
Centre people and research were featured on TV, radio, print and online over several weeks. While not an exhaustive list, the below highlights some key media coverage.
Centre Science and Innovation Director Prof Cheryl Desha shared her private and professional experience in Brisbane with ABC News on 23 March, highlighting the need to learn from emergencies, including Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Cheryl spoke about the importance of robust conversations and action in ensuring built and social infrastructure is prepared for severe wind and rain. Watch the full story here or below, which also features David Henderson from the James Cook Cyclone Testing Station who is part of a Centre disaster response project investigating the structural and inundation effects of tropical cyclones.
The message that Australia must use Cyclone Alfred as a serious wake-up call to bolster our essential infrastructure against disasters was reiterated in Cheryl’s piece in The Conversation on 10 March. Cheryl highlighted nature positive disaster risk reduction solutions as part of the solution to preparing for increasingly frequent and severe natural hazards, as well as building back better, to reduce the impact to residents of natural hazard-affected areas.
The critical need to plan for disasters and heed the lessons of the past was highlighted in The Canberra Times in an opinion piece by Centre CEO Andrew Gissing on 11 March. Andrew wrote about what made Alfred significant, warnings, how research lessons can inform recovery and offered ways forward for infrastructure mitigation such as power, insurance sustainability and where buildings and other infrastructure are located.
Andrew also spoke to the insurance implications of natural hazards with The Guardian on 15 March, including retrofitting houses to increase disaster resilience, as well as appearing on:
- 3 March, ABC Radio Sunshine Coast Mornings
- 4 March, ABC Radio Gold Coast Mornings
- 7 March, 7 News TV rolling coverage
- 8 March, ITV UK
- 10 March, 3AW mornings
- 12 March, ABC Radio Canberra Drive
- 13 March, ABC Radio Sydney Drive
Ahead of the cyclone making landfall, the Centre provided targeted guidance to empower affected resident to plan and prepare themselves, their homes, loved ones and communities. These include:
- Tropical Cyclone Alfred – what the research says
- Don’t forget your pets and animals when preparing for tropical Cyclone Alfred
- Lessons for businesses ahead of Tropical Cyclone Alfred
Read more about the new quick response projects investigating community experiences of Tropical Cyclone Alfred through social media and the structural and inundation effect of tropical cyclones in response to Tropical Cyclone Alfred and its effects.