Insurance Australia Group warns of increasing risk of tropical cyclones in southeast Queensland

The Gold Coast and Brisbane are more than ever in the path of destructive cyclones according to shock new research.

BRISBANE and the Gold Coast are more at risk of category four cyclones than ever before, according to research by a leading Australian insurance company.

According to the report Severe Weather in a Changing Climate, cyclones are more likely to head further south with greater intensity due to climate change.

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Severe Weather in a Changing Climate report warns of an increased risk of tropical cyclones in southeast Queensland.

The research was released by Insurance Australia Group and the US National Center for Atmospheric Research late last year.

“The report highlights that one of the key risks facing Australia as the world warms towards +3°C is tropical cyclones travelling further south with higher intensity,” IAG natural perils executive manager Mark Leplastrier said.

“This means that parts of South East Queensland and North East New South Wales will start to experience greater devastation from strong winds and torrential rainfall due to cyclones.

“These regions are densely-populated and to safeguard these communities now and into the future, there needs to be greater investment across all sectors to reduce the financial and physical burden as the climate warms.”

IAG says that the research shows Queenslanders need to be resilient and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

“With the annual economic cost of natural disasters predicted to hit $39 billion by 2050, we need to invest more as a nation to better protect communities,” Mr Leplastrier said.

“This includes adequate land planning and building codes to ensure our infrastructure is able to withstand extreme weather, especially for cyclone and flood-prone regions.”

Originally published as Insurance Australia Group warns of increasing risk of tropical cyclones in southeast Queensland