AUSTRALIAEMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIACONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION *2. NATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS *3. AUSTRALIAN DISASTER REDUCTION MEASURES *3.1. Emergency/Disaster Legislation and Plans *3.2. Emergency Management Training *3.3. Exercises *3.4. Public Awareness *3.5. Research *3.6. Future Developments *4. REGIONAL ASSISTANCE WITH DISASTER REDUCTION *4.1. International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction *5. Australiaʼs Expectations of the Asian Disaster Reduction Center *6. Major Natural Disasters Since 1990 *1. INTRODUCTION
Under the Australian Constitution, the eight States and Territories have direct responsibility for the protection of lives andproperty. Accordingly, they maintain well-developed emergency management capabilities and have arrangements to meet their
responsibility.
The Commonwealth (Federal) Government accepts responsibility for providing national disaster management leadership andstandardisation. It meets this responsibility by developing policy; by supporting the State and Territory Governments indeveloping their disaster management capabilities; by providing assistance in the response and recovery stages after disasters;by providing warning and monitoring services for speciﬁc hazards; and by facilitating national training, public awareness andeducation, information management and research activities. The Commonwealth Government is also responsible for providing
disaster management assistance to other countries.
Emergency Management Australia is the agency responsible for coordinating Commonwealth Government disaster management
activities and, in conjunction with the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), for coordinating Australiandisaster response and mitigation assistance to other countries. Details of Emergency Management Australia are given at Annex
A.
For a number of years, disaster management in Australia has been based on four fundamental approaches:
The All Hazards Approach - under which a single set of management arrangements are used to deal withthe eﬀects of all types of hazards.
The Comprehensive Approach - under which a risk management approach to potential disasters is used todesign the mix of strategies covering prevention, preparedness, response and recovery so as to provide themost eﬀective disaster management structure.
The All Agencies Approach - under which disaster management is seen as a partnership which requires
the active involvement of all levels of government as well as voluntary organisations and the community
itself
The Prepared Community - under which it is recognised that the basis of successful emergency
management is eﬀective arrangements at community level. This requires an alert, informed and activecommunity which supports its emergency services and voluntary organisations, complemented by an active
and involved local government. All levels work within an agreed and coordinated set of arrangements
covering prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.
Although for some years the emphasis in Australia was placed primarily on preparedness and response measures, there has
been growing awareness in recent years of the links between disasters and development. This has resulted in recognition of theincreasing importance of prevention, mitigation and reduction strategies. The International Decade for Natural Disaster
Reduction (IDNDR) has played an important part in encouraging this change of emphasis.

2. NATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
National coordination of emergency and disaster management activities is exercised through a National Emergency Management
Committee. This committee, which is chaired by the Director General of Emergency Management Australia, includes the senior
emergency management representatives of all States and Territories in its membership. This committee provides a valuable
forum for Australia-wide endorsement of policy and arrangements and for discussion of a wide range of subjects. Specialist
advisory groups have been established to study such subjects as communications, information technology, public awareness,training and education, and civil defence (as deﬁned under the Geneva Conventions). A small Executive Group meets at regularintervals to examine practical issues. The committee has been meeting since 1993 and is beginning to have a signiﬁcant impact
on a national approach to disaster and emergency management in Australia.

3. AUSTRALIAN DISASTER REDUCTION MEASURES
3.1. Emergency/Disaster Legislation and Plans
Six of the States and Territories have enacted disaster management legislation. The Australian Capital Territory has draft
legislation awaiting government consideration and Western Australia has administrative arrangements for emergency
management and is currently examining options for legislation. All States and Territories have well-developed plans andprocedures in place which are approved by respective peak emergency management committees; and these are supported byplans and arrangements at regional and at local government levels.
The Australian Government has decided that, because of the constitutional arrangements, there is no need for specialised
disaster management legislation at the national level although emergency management issues are covered in other legislation.
Many of these have an impact on disaster reduction including those dealing with:Environmental protection
Hazardous waste
Urban and regional development
Quarantine
HealthIndustrial development
Natural resources management
National water resources
Primary industries
EnergySocial security
Transport

Australia has a small number of plans which describe the Commonwealth response to domestic and overseas disasters. There
are also national plans for dealing with specialised disasters which require the use of skills and resources from the wholecountry. These include plans for dealing with radioactive space debris, marine pollution and exotic animal diseases.
3.2. Emergency Management Training
Emergency management training is carried out on a national centralised basis by Emergency Management Australia.
Additionally, signiﬁcant training, especially of a practical nature, is undertaken by State and Territory agencies.

Training is based on agreed competencies which form the basis for national recognition of the qualiﬁcations of emergency
management practitioners and for the development of training curricula which covers:
Development of Emergency Management Policy
Assessment of Vulnerability
Selection of Emergency Management Strategies
Planning of Strategy Implementation
Implementation of Plans
Eﬀective Communication
Management of People
Management of Resources
Coordination of Resources
Management of Information
Processing of Information
Management of Training and Education
Design and delivery of Training and Education
To allow emergency management practitioners to develop these competencies, new curricula are being developed which will
cover all levels of training from the introductory level to tertiary level. The ﬁrst courses to be aﬀected by the competency
standards are those currently delivered by Emergency Management Australia. The courses in Vulnerability Analysis, Evacuation,
and Operations Centre Management are now competency based. Work is continuing on other courses.
It is anticipated that the development of these national competencies will have a signiﬁcant impact on the capabilities of
emergency managers and will improve national capabilities to reduce, mitigate and respond to disasters.
3.3. Exercises
Regular exercises are conducted at all levels of emergency management to validate plans and procedures and to reinforce
training. A national exercise register is being developed to facilitate free exchange of experience and this will shortly be madeavailable on the Internet.
3.4. Public AwarenessTraditionally, Emergency Management Australia has taken the lead in the design and production of a wide-ranging series ofpublic education material in the form of pamphlets, posters and emergency manuals. This activity is now conducted on anational basis through a National Community Awareness Advisory Group which meets regularly to prepare strategies and shareexperience as well as advising the National Emergency Management Committee. Currently, the Advisory Group is studying thepotential for wider use of the expertise available in the media, advertising and public awareness sectors to help the messages topenetrate the whole of society. The challenge in public awareness is to devise strategies which lead to changes in attitudes andbehaviour. Signiﬁcant success is being achieved in relation to reduction of forest ﬁre vulnerability through the use of experienced
facilitators working with community groups to identify the hazards and vulnerabilities which a community faces and assisting in
the development of appropriate disaster-reduction strategies. The applicability of such an approach to a broad range of hazards
is an area for further investigation
3.5. Research
Disaster-related research is conducted by various government agencies covering hazards such as bushﬁre, earthquake, cyclone.
Research is also undertaken in various tertiary institutions around the country. The Australian Coordination Committee for
IDNDR has funded the development of a research directory which will make information on the range of available researchavailable to the-whole community. An area which has received insuﬃcient attention in Australia is in relation to the social
science aspects of emergency management. The IDNDR Committee has recently decided that it should be more directive inencouraging projects and research to meet identiﬁed gaps.
3.6. Future Developments
Australia is making a signiﬁcant commitment to raising the importance of disaster reduction without reducing its disaster
preparedness and response capabilities. This requires that a wider range of agencies and community organisations accept theirdisaster management responsibilities and contribute to the overall national capability. Government and business enterprises arealso being encouraged to develop their own capabilities to continue their business when they have been aﬀected by disasters or
emergencies. The whole concept of risk management, as practiced in business, is seen as particularly appropriate to theemergency and disaster discipline. It is also one which has a terminology which will assist emergency managers to communicate
more eﬀectively with business and administration. Such improved communication is expected to encourage wider acceptance of,and involvement in, the aims of disaster and emergency management.

4. REGIONAL ASSISTANCE WITH DISASTER REDUCTION
The island countries of the South Paciﬁc are at risk from a variety of hazards which cause regular disasters. While small on the
global scale, these are major disasters for the countries aﬀected with far more impact on national economies and development
than more signiﬁcant disasters in countries with larger resource bases.
Australia, as the largest developed nation in the region, has been a major provider of disaster response assistance for many
years. Over the last 10 years it has also been making an increasing commitment to the provision of assistance with disasterreduction measures. The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) has in place a Paciﬁc Disaster Preparedness
Program which has provided technical assistance, equipment and training to a number of regional countries using expertiseprovided by Emergency Management Australia and by non-government organisations.
In recent years AusAID has cooperated closely with the United Nations Department of Humanitarian Aﬀairs in implementing aSouth Paciﬁc Disaster Reduction Program. A recent change has seen the move of the South Paciﬁc Disaster Reduction ProgramOﬃce into the south Paciﬁc Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC). The oﬃce has been redesignated as the SOPAC Disaster
Management Unit and it will play a major role in coordinating disaster management activities within the South Paciﬁc. Following
the two recent major disasters in Papua New Guinea ( the 1997/98 drought and the Tsunami in July 1998) AusAID is assisting
Papua New Guinea to in strengthening it disaster management capabilities. by Emergency Management Australia is playing asigniﬁcant role in this project. Although training has been provided in Australia for a number of countries by Emergency
Management Australia, our preference is to conduct courses in the requesting country in conjunction with their oﬃcials so that
requirements can be tailored more directly to local needs.
The Australian Government provides funding to the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre in Bangkok and to speciﬁc nongovernment organisation programs which assist the development of national disaster management capabilities in othercountries. Australia also provides funds for a number of development projects in various countries of Asia and the Paciﬁc whichhave direct implications for disaster reduction.
Australia has a signiﬁcant capability to respond to disasters in the Asian region. On a few occasions it has provided sheltermaterials and similar immediate response stores, but it is more frequently asked to provide ﬁnancial or food aid to relieve
immediate needs. In relation to the longer-term recovery period, Australia has provided signiﬁcant assistance to Asian countries
through development assistance projects. Where possible these are designed so that they reduce the vulnerability of therecipient country to disaster and enhance its recovery capability after similar future events.
4.1. International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction
The Australian Coordination Committee for the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction includes government andnon-government members, along with representatives of academic, scientiﬁc and community organisations. The committee, inline with the United Nations initiative, aims to reduce the loss of life and property damage caused by natural disasters, especiallyin developing countries.
Committee activities are guided by the Australian Strategic Plan developed in 1995 at a workshop involving participants from theemergency management community in Australia and the South Paciﬁc and the United Nations. The Australian goals support
international goals agreed by a United Nations General Assembly in 1989 and at the Yokohama World Conference on Natural
Disaster Reduction held in 1994. The workshop identiﬁed reducing the vulnerability of community lifelines and promoting
disaster education in schools as key areas upon which eﬀort in Australia should be concentrated. The Committee provides
funding for disaster reduction projects which help to achieve the goals of the decade. By 1998 it had provided over AU$2
million for more than 120 natural disaster reduction projects in Australia and the South Paciﬁc in the scientiﬁc, technical,
educational, social and public awareness ﬁelds. South Paciﬁc nations are a high priority for Australian IDNDR funding in keepingwith the UN resolution and in addition to assistance in disaster management provided by Australiaʼs Agency for International
Development (AusAID).
Projects in the Paciﬁc which have received IDNDR support include: funding for disaster training workshops; translation andprinting of community awareness publications and disaster plans; and provision of computers on which to run sophisticatedtropical cyclone prediction software. The program also initiated annual Paciﬁc Regional Disaster Management Meetings of PaciﬁcIsland and Papua New Guinea disaster managers which provide an important forum for the exchange of ideas and regional
cooperation.

Annex A

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIACountry: AUSTRALIAName of Ministry: DEFENCE
Name of Department: EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA
Contact Information: PO BOX 1020
DICKSON ACT 2602
AUSTRALIA
Tel: 61 2 6266 5402
Fax: 61 2 6257 7665
E-mail: ema@ema.gov.au
Homepage: www.ema.gov.au
Head of the department: Mr ALAN HODGES, AM
Number of employees: 60
Role: To reduce the impact ofdisasters and emergencies inAustralia and its region.

Organisation:

Primary areas of responsibility:
Enhancing national emergency management capabilities by:developing Commonwealth Government and national
emergency management policies, plans and programs;
developing national emergency management educationand training curriculum and programs;delivering emergency management education andtraining; developing and delivering emergency
management information services;
generating and fostering community disaster-awarenessin partnership with the Australian states and territories;
providing financial support for the development of state
and territory capabilities.
supporting the development of Australia's civil defence
capability;
developing emergency management doctrine which best describes best practice in all facets of emergency management; andfostering emergency management research.

Coordinating Commonwealth physical support to the Australian states and territories, and countries in Australia's region in times of disaster.
Supporting the development of overseas emergency management capabilities, particularly in Australia's region of interest (in partnership with the Australian
Agency for International Development).

Current major activities:
Developing and strengthening national emergency management partnerships.
Developing a national disaster-mitigation strategy.
Identifying best practice in the formal development of national emergency management doctrine.
Developing accredited education and training to complement National Emergency Management Competency Standards.
Making extensive use of the 'information super highway' to disseminate and exchange information both nationally and internationally.
Actively contributing to the strengthening of emergency management capabilities overseas, particularly in the South Pacific.

5. Australia’s Expectations of the Asian Disaster Reduction Center
Australia notes that the Asian Disaster Reduction (ADRC) aims to be a center for promoting multi-national disaster reduction
cooperation, by promoting the exchange of disaster reduction experts from each country and concerned bodies, accumulating
and providing disaster reduction information, and carrying out research into multi-national disaster reduction cooperation.
Australia therefore believes that ADRC can best serve its interests and those of member countries and concerned bodies byfocussing on the agreed aim. This will enable the ADRC to establish itself as a 'center of excellence' for promoting the exchangeof disaster experts, for accumulating and providing disaster reduction information and for conducting research into disaster
reduction. It will also ensure that the ADRC dies not duplicate the activities of other organisations such as the UN and ADPC but
rather be recognised as an authoritative source of information for these organisations.
From an Australian perspective, we believe that the greatest beneﬁts in disaster reduction will be achieved through access toand sharing of current and reliable disaster management information and through the application of the results of research.
Some areas where Australia believes that ADRC could play are signiﬁcant role during its formative stage are as follows:
World Wide Web The World Wide Web continues to develop as a key medium for the rapid exchange of information.
By developing the Homepage so that it is recognised as the prime source of disaster reduction information in theregion, ADRC will be better able to become a leader in the rapid gathering, processing and sharing of information. The
inclusion of the following would enhance the quality of the current ADRC Homepage:
information on the objectives, priorities and plans for the ADRC,
details of disaster management arrangements in member countries,
links to Homepages of member countries and other recognised disaster management,
ADRC points of contacts in member countries and concerned bodies, andpublishing of other information of interest to members.
Newsletter A regular newsletter would provide a medium for disseminating information on the activities of ADRC andassist with the wider international recognition of the Center. It would also be particularly helpful to countries which do
not as yet have access to the World Wide Web. Notwithstanding, it would enable the activities of ADRC to be
publicised wider within countries. Contributions to the newsletter from member countries on activities of interest toothers would assist the information sharing process.
Risk Assessment With the growing levels of risk and the corresponding reduction in dedicated resources, there isclearly a need for all countries to adopt and approach that provides managers, countries and organisations with tools
to select the most disaster reduction measures to deal with their particular needs. Risk management provides such an
approach and the ﬁrst step is the conduct of risk assessment studies. ADRC could greatly assist member countries byinitiating appropriate emergency risk assessment activities to assist countries to accurately assess the degree of risk incountries concerned (types and probability of disasters, anticipated scale and scope of damages, local vulnerabilityetc.).
Annual Forum An annual forum hosted by ADRC and focussed on matters of interest to member countries would
enable ADRC to play a leadership role in disaster reduction in the region. Such a forum would enable face-to-face
discussion and the sharing of information between disaster managers from member countries on matters of mutualinterest to countries. The First International Meeting would seem to be an appropriate forum to discuss the viability ofthis approach.

Participation in International Forums. ADRC should become an active participant in international conferences andforums dealing with disaster reduction matters and, in particular, information exchange. The Global Disaster
Information Network (GDIN) would appear to be one such forum in which ADRC should be a key player. GDIN is next
due to meet in Mexico in late May 1999.
Australia recognises that it will take some time for ADRC to become fully established and to be recognised as a leader in disaster
reduction activities in the region. A graduated approach will be necessary initially to ensure that activities undertaken can becompleted eﬃciently. Development of a strategic plan to provide the basis for direction and priorities for the future would ensure
the success of such an approach. It is suggested that such a plan developed in consultation with and endorsed by member
countries would provide the best guarantee of success for the ADRC.

6. Major Natural Disasters Since 1990
The following pages provide information on major disasters that have occurred in Australia since 1990.
Australia has been able to respond to these disasters using its own internal resources. No external assistance has been sought.

Major Natural Disasters Since 1990

Country: AUSTRALIA
Date of Disaster: April 1990
Type of Disaster: Floods
Name of Disaster: 1990 Great Floods
Damage:Dead and missing: 7 people
Injured: 60 people
Made homeless: 5,000 people
Description of Damage:Over 17 000 people were directly affected by the slow onset floods ? homes and business premises were flood damaged in Southern Queensland, northern and central New
South Wales and eastern Victoria, the floods being the worst for 35 years. Over one million head of livestock died, and over 1 million square miles were inundated.
Insurance losses totalled $US 27 million; estimated total losses were $US 286 million (in 1998 values)

Major Natural Disasters Since 1990

Country: AUSTRALIA
Date of Disaster: January 1991
Type of Disaster: Severe Storms
Name of Disaster: Northern Sydney Storms
Damage:Dead and missing: 1 person
Injured: 100 people
Made homeless: 600 people
Description of Damage:
In northern Sydney, New South Wales, over 350 000 people were affected by the storms ? wind, large hail stones and falling trees damaged over 7 000 homes with 20 totally
destroyed. Over 140 kms of powerlines and 3 steel towers were knocked down. Estimated wind strengths were 188-230 km/hr resulting in over 50 000 significant trees felled orseverely damaged.
Insurance losses totalled $US 155 million; estimated total losses were $US 465 million (in 1998 values)

Items of note to disaster-reduction policy-makers:
The need for weather radar which can provide localised forecasting for areas particularly vulnerable to severe storms.

Major Natural Disasters Since 1990

Country: AUSTRALIA
Date of Disaster: October 1993
Type of Disaster: Flood
Name of Disaster: North East Victoria Floods
Damage:Dead and missing: 1 person
Injured: 30 people
Made homeless: 5,500 people
Description of Damage:
Flooding had a severe effect on the north-eastern Victorian towns of Benalla, Shepparton, Wangaratta and Euroa in October 1993 when 12 ‘mountain’ rivers in the region
suddenly flooded simultaneously. A total of 5,500 people were evacuated as floodwaters swirled into more than 4,000 homes, shops, farms and orchards. Thousands of
livestock, fruit and vegetable crops, and dairy production were lost. This, and very heavy damage to roads and bridges all contributed to high economic loss. A total of 15,000
people were affected.
Insurance losses totalled $US 9 million; estimated total losses were $US 308 million (in 1998 values)

Major Natural Disasters Since 1990

Country: AUSTRALIA
Date of Disaster: 27 December 1993 to 16 January 1994
Type of Disaster: Bushfire
Name of Disaster: NSW Bushfires
Damage:Dead and missing: 4 people
Injured: 120 people
Made homeless: 900 people
Description of Damage:
Along the east coast of New South Wales (including Sydney), over 250 000 people were affected by the fires; houses destroyed ? 206; other building destroyed ? 20; landburnt out ? 800 000 hectares; fencing destroyed ? 600+ kms; livestock killed/destroyed ? 200+; native wildlife killed/destroyed ? number unknown; 40 National Parks affected
Insurance losses totalled $US 39 million; estimated total losses were $US 117 million (in 1998 values)

Items of note to disaster-reduction policy-makers:
The need for standardisation of procedures and, if possible, equipment with, as a minimum, interoperability of communications equipment where multi-agency/multi-jurisdiction
assets are employed.
The need to achieve a balance between fuel reduction programs and environmental pressures/requirements.
Other information:
20,000 plus firefighters (mainly trained volunteers) and the armed forces were deployed from all states of Australia to fight over 800 fires over the three week period.

Major Natural Disasters Since 1990

Country: AUSTRALIA
Date of Disaster: May 1996
Type of Disaster: Floods
Name of Disaster: Southern Queensland/Northern NSW Floods
Damage:Dead and missing: 4 people
Injured: 20 people
Made homeless: 100 people
Description of Damage:
About 10,000 people were affected when heavy flooding occurred along large coastal and hinterland areas of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales forcing theevacuation of hundreds of people and aerial food drops to isolated settlements. Homes and businesses in the Laidley area west of Brisbane, and the Grafton area (northern
New South Wales) were inundated. Further west in both states, vegetable and cotton crops were seriously damaged or destroyed. Landslides and beach erosion were also
caused along the coast. In many parts of southern Queensland the floods were the worst since 1974 and on the Clarence River (New South Wales) they were the worst since
1976.
Insurance losses totalled $US 22 million; estimated total losses were $US 160 million (in 1998 values)

Major Natural Disasters Since 1990

Country: AUSTRALIA
Date of Disaster: September 1996
Type of Disaster: Severe Storms
Name of Disaster: Armidale Storms
Damage:Dead and missing: 0
Injured: 10 people
Made homeless: 120 people
Description of Damage:
25,000 people were affected when a powerful severe thunderstorm struck Armidale, New South Wales, with 160 km per hour winds and up to 8 cm hail causing moderate tosevere damage to 90% of the town’s 6,500 houses. Many large buildings and 5,000 cars were also damaged. Three tornadoes were reported in nearby areas adding toproperty and agricultural losses.
Insurance losses totalled $US 73 million; estimated total losses were $US 225 million (in 1998 values)

Major Natural Disasters Since 1990

Country: AUSTRALIA
Date of Disaster: March 1997
Type of Disaster: Tropical Cyclone
Name of Disaster: Cyclone Justin
Damage:Dead and missing: 7 people
Injured: 30 people
Made homeless: 10 people
Description of Damage:
Although only a ‘Category 2’ cyclone, Cyclone Justin caused significant damage in the Cairns region, in northern Queensland, which it approached on two occasions during its
long (3? week) life. Houses were undermined by huge waves, a marina and boats were severely damaged, roads and bridges suffered from flood and landslide damage andhuge losses were inflicted on sugar cane, fruit and vegetable crops. The death toll of 7 in Queensland included 5 on a yacht which sank. 10,000 people were affected by thecyclone. 26 people died in Papua New Guinea which was also severely affected.
Total estimated losses were $US 133 million (in 1998 values)

Major Natural Disasters Since 1990

Country: AUSTRALIA
Date of Disaster: July 1997
Type of Disaster: Landslide
Name of Disaster: Thredbo Landslide
Damage:Dead and missing: 18 people
Injured: 1 person
Made homeless: 10 people
Description of Damage:
Australia’s worst landslide occurred when a large section of steep mountainside (below a road) collapsed onto a ski lodge in the alpine village of Thredbo, New South Wales, atnight. The building was swept down the slope colliding with a second lodge in which people were sleeping. Both multi-level buildings were crushed under about 1000 tonnes ofearth, rock and trees, leaving debris including cars for 250 metres down the mountainside. Only one survivor was found by rescuers. He had survived for 65 hours, trappedbeneath the rubble, in temperatures as low as ?12oc.
Total estimated losses: $30 million (in 1998 values)

Major Natural Disasters Since 1990

Country: AUSTRALIA
Date of Disaster: January 1998
Type of Disaster: Floods
Name of Disaster: Townsville/Katherine Floods
Damage:Dead and missing: 5 people
Injured: 90 people
Made homeless: 2170 people
Description of Damage:
In January 1998, two ex-tropical cyclones caused severe flooding in parts of northern Queensland and the Northern Territory of Australia.
At Townsville, Queensland, flash floods (caused by 361 mm of rain in 6 hours) killed two men, destroyed 14 homes and severely damaged a further 33. A total of 5,000 homes
were partly damaged and cars and boats washed away, some out to sea. Hundreds of people were evacuated and up to 50,000 were affected in some way. Water up to 3
metres deep caused heavy commercial, industrial, agricultural and infrastructure damage. A large landslide was triggered on nearby Magnetic Island damaging cars and aholiday resort.
At Katherine in the Northern Territory, the Katherine River reached record levels causing the evacuation of over 5,000 people. The entire town (of 10,500 people) was affectedwith all roads cut, over 50% of the homes flooded and 500 commercial premises covered by up to 3 metres of water. At its peak, the flood covered over 1,000 square
kilometres of land. Three people died.
Combined, the Townsville and Katherine Floods resulted in insurance losses totalling $US 98 million; and estimated total losses $US 280 million (in 1998 values)