A GEOGRAPHY OF NATURAL PERILS

Earthquakes, tropical cyclones and floods are the most important natur al perils in terms of human deaths on a global basis. In Australia, at least 4300 deaths in the last 200 years have been produced by heat wa ves; about 2000-2200 each by tropical cyclones and floods; and bushfir es and lightning strikes have each killed at least 650 people. On a gl obal basis it appears that floods, tropical storms, droughts and earth quakes are the most damaging natural perils. In Australia, in terms of median damage per event, hailstorms are the most expensive insured na tural peril, while three events-the 1989 Newcastle earthquake, 1974's Cyclone Tracy, and the 1990 Sydney hailstorm-produced 36 per cent of t he total insured damage in the period since 1967. The Newcastle earthq uake and the Sydney hailstorm have provided opportunities for new unde rstandings of these perils and their consequences. While much has been learnt from the devastation of Rabaul town by the 1994 eruption, a ra re opportunity for a detailed study of building damage has been lost. Without detailed studies, risk rating, where Risk = Hazard (or peril) x Vulnerability, is difficult.