Appendix C - Bushfire Hazard Assessment and Management Plan

          Cyclone
          Tropical cyclones are intense low-pressure                                      Will you need to plan for evacuation?
          systems that form over warm tropical waters.                                    Find out from your council if your home is in a
          Winds in a cyclone travel in a clockwise                                        storm tide evacuation area. If it is, arrange a
          direction around the centre and can reach                                       safer place for your evacuation as part of your
          speeds over 200 km/h. The severe winds can                                      preparations. Ask friends or family that live
          extend for hundreds of kilometers from the                                      in secure accommodation, in an area further
          calm ‘eye’ or centre of the cyclone.                                            inland and on higher ground if you can seek
          Cyclones are dangerous because they                                             shelter in case of storm tide.
          produce destructive winds, heavy rainfall, and                                  If you don’t live in a storm tide evacuation
CYCLONE




          damaging storm surges. The destructive winds                                    area, sheltering in place by staying in your
          can cause extensive damage and can turn                                         home is often the best option. However, if you
          debris into dangerous missiles. The heavy                                       live in an old home, built before 1982, or if
          rainfall associated with cyclones can produce                                   you have special needs, it may be safer to stay
          extensive flooding and landslides which can                                     with family or friends in a newer home.
          increase the risk of drowning and cut road
          access. Extreme waves generated by cyclones                                     Warnings
          can cause severe coastal erosion and are
                                                                                          A Cyclone Watch is issued by the Bureau of
          dangerous to vessels out at sea and those
                                                                                          Meteorology when gales or stronger winds
          moored in harbours.
                                                                                          associated with a cyclone are expected to hit
          Storm surge and storm tide                                                      within 24 to 48 hours. A Cyclone Warning is
                                                                                          issued by the Bureau when gales or stronger
                                      Storm surge is                                      winds are expected to hit within 24 hours.
                                      generated by the
                                      low atmospheric                                     When you hear a cyclone warning and it is
                                      pressure and gale                                   safe to shelter in place:
                                      force onshore                                       »» activate your Emergency Plan and locate
                                      winds experienced                               storm tide
                                                                                                   your Emergency Kit;
                                      during a tropical
                                                                                  storm surge
                    high tide
               mean sea level
                                                                high tide
                                                           mean sea level                 »» unplug all appliances and turn off mains
                                                                                  normal high tide
                     low tide

                     NORMAL HIGH TIDE
                                      cyclone. As                low tide

                                                                CYCLONE STORM SURGE
                                                                                             supply (follow manufacturer’s shutdown
                                      a cyclone                                              procedures for solar power systems);
                                      approaches the                                      »» bring your family into the strongest part of
                                      coast, this mound                                      the house and shelter well clear of windows,
                                      of seawater is                                         doors and skylights;
                                      pushed onto shore                                   »» stay tuned into warnings via battery radio
                                      and can appear as
                                            storm tide
                                                                                             for updates; and
                     high tide
                mean sea level
                                      a rapid rise in sea
                                        storm surge
                                        normal high tide                                  »» if the building begins to break up,
                      low tide
                                      level, up to several                                   immediately seek shelter under a strong
                      CYCLONE STORM SURGE
                                      metres high, at                                        table or bench or under a heavy mattress.
                                      least 50 km wide
          and can last up to several hours.                                               Beware the calm eye of the cyclone
                                                                                          Some people venture outdoors during the
          The combination of storm surge and normal
                                                                                          eye of a cyclone, mistakenly believing that
          ocean tide is known as a ‘storm tide’. The
                                                                                          the cyclone has passed. Stay inside until you
          worst impacts can occur when a storm surge
                                                                                          have received official advice that it is safe to
          arrives on top of a high tide. When this
                                                                                          go outside.
          happens, the storm tide can reach areas that
          might otherwise have been safe. If you live
          in a low-lying tropical or sub-tropical coastal
          area, you could be at risk from storm tide
          inundation.
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