Cyclone Seroja damage drives call for higher building standards from James Cook University experts

A group of researchers who assesed damage to buildings in Kalbarri following cyclone Seroja have put forward a proposal for building standards to be increased in towns with a moderate risk of cyclones, stating towns like Kalbarri are just as vulnerable to the next cyclone. Experts from James Cook University conducted a survey in which the team looked at buildings constructed in Kalbarri in the past 20 years, and how they handled the cyclone. The experts say the damage found show building standards aren’t adequate for places with a moderate risk of cyclones, in particular how they are built to handle high internal pressures. The researchers found that although wind speeds during Seroja did not come close to hitting the limits the buildings were designed for, the buildings were hit by debris, causing wind to rush inside, resulting in the roofs of the buildings being damaged. Kalbarri, as well as most towns in the Mid West, are in the Cyclone Zone B region, where buildings aren’t designed to withstand these pressures, unlike buildings in more cyclone-prone areas. The experts have put forward a proposal to Standards Australia to have buildings in region B designed for high internal pressures. Dr Korah Parackal said the measure would help avoid another cyclone causing the same level of devastation as Seroja. “The robustness and resilience of buildings increase significantly if they are designed for high internal pressure because the failure of a window or door for instance, (and) will not lead to a major structural failure,” Dr Parackal said. A spokesperson for Standards Australia said it supported the proposals and would push to see them implemented. “Stakeholders we have engaged with are supportive of change — we are working with the Australian Building Codes Board to gain their support for the changes,” they said