COSTS AND BENEFITS OF TROPICAL CYCLONES, SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND BUSHFIRES IN AUSTRALIA

The historical frequency, distribution and impact of tropical cyclones , severe thunderstorms and bushfires in Australia are discussed. Altho ugh the climatological record of frequency and distribution is incompl ete for some hazards, this information is more reliable than that avai lable on the impacts of the hazards. Insurance payout costs form the b est quantitative measure of negative impacts, but such figures represe nt only a fraction of the true costs of damage from severe weather. Fo r tropical cyclones the insurance payout since 1967 has been $1715 mil lion, for severe thunderstorms $1808 million and for bushfires $488 mi llion. Tropical cyclones and storms each result in the loss of 4 to 6 lives each year, while bushfires have an average annual death toll of about 10. Although significant benefits arising from severe weather ev ents can also be identified, quantitative estimates of their alue are not available.