Darwin's devastation from Cyclone Tracy led to a nationwide review and strengthening of building codes. Experts emphasize the need for better planning to protect the built environment from climate change impacts, focusing on robust construction against stronger storm surges.
Cyclone Tracy's destruction of Darwin prompted an overhaul of the National Construction Code.Experts want to see governments better plan to protect the built environment from climate change, and plan for bigger storm surges.Darwin builder Leo Athanasiou is adamant he would never skimp on adhering to national construction laws designed to protect Australia's northern cities from cyclones.'It was devastating to see, all the suburbs were just flattened,' he said.
'The roof was lifting up a foot off the top of the concrete blocks and dropping back down, walls were starting to come in,' he recalled.During the cyclone's eye, he helped his father bring in severely injured neighbours whose houses had disintegrated around them.'She had part of her limb missing, cut in the shape of the roof iron.New buildings along Australia's northern coast from Broome to Bundaberg must now be constructed to withstand category four cyclone winds of 238kph. From Carnarvon to Port Hedland on the Western Australian coast, they need to survive category five 288kph winds. Mr Athanasiou said with new codes and modern structural designs, he's confident in the houses being built today.NT home owners say lax residential building regulations have left them dealing with major structural defects they aren't able to get fixed or claim compensation for. 'It is very important to clear up the debris around you, that debris is what causes the problems,' he said. Elisha Harris, a structural engineer and member of the NT government's building standards advisory committee, said recent cyclones in Queensland demonstrated properly wind-coded structures perform well. 'The modern methods of construction are far more resilient and are doing the job that they are supposed to do,' she said. But Ms Harris agreed that debris from older, non-cyclone-coded or poorly maintained buildings were a threa
CYCLONE CONSTRUCTION CLIMATE CHANGE DARWIN BUILDING CODES
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