.jpg "A person inspects the damage done to the beach and vegetation on February 5, 2011 after Cyclone Yasi devastated the coastal hamlet of Hull Heads on February 2 and 3. The category five storm laid waste to entire towns, hurled luxury yachts around like toys and shredded enormous swathes of banana and sugar crops, adding an estimated 0.25 percentage points to inflation (Torsten Blackwood/Getty Images )")
Of Tully’s 4,000 buildings, nearly 500 are marked for demolition and the lush green hills are now grey, as Yasi’s 257 km/hour (160 miles/hour) winds stripped trees and vegetation.
According to the Australian Banana Growers’ Council 75 percent of the industry was affected by Yasi, including 95 percent of the crop in the Tully and Innisfail region.
Farmers grow about 2,500 acres of bananas in the area and the industry remains under pressure, with prices now up to $12 per kilo ($12 per 2.2 pounds) versus last year’s $1 per kilo.
“The majority of Australian bananas are grown in tropical north Queensland, so this has been a significant disaster for our industry,” said Cameron MacKay, president of the council in a statement.
“Bananas will continue to be Australia’s No. 1 fruit, so we ask that our consumers
understand that the interruption of supply is caused by something completely outside growers control,” he said.
Only five years have passed since Cyclone Larry, and the repeated disasters have had a long lasting and significant impact on the industry. But MacKay says banana growers are a resilient group and already have recovery strategies in place, like staggered growing and reducing the area of crops.
With the many disasters that have struck not only Australia, but Asia-Pacific neighbors New Zealand and Japan, money for recovery will be tight. Locals expect that Tully will not see the same amount of assistance that Innisfail received after Cyclone Larry in 2006, says local business owner John Hughes.
Residents have taken an active approach while waiting for insurance company approvals. Local residents like Bron Reed, who lost two retail stores in town, says she counts her blessings—she is thankful that her home is undamaged, while many others have had to start anew. While waiting to start the rebuilding, she has been donating blankets and other supplies to the less fortunate members of the community.
Officials and union leaders see Queensland’s recovery from Yasi as an opportunity to address the development of Australia’s infrastructure and preparedness for natural disasters.
Australian Workers’ Union President Paul Howes says Queensland can become the leading Australian state in developing a new carbon-friendly economy. In a speech to the a Brisbane Property Council conference on March 18, he said that looking at the extraordinary tragedy in Japan as well, there will be much to learn about new construction techniques needed.
Experts advise that natural disasters will grow more intense as the climate changes, says Federal Attorney General Robert McClelland, and accordingly, policymakers need to address the future development of communities.
“I hope it is obvious to everyone that this rebuild cannot simply rely on the favorable attitude of insurance companies,” said Howes in the speech published on the union’s website.
Even two months later, the main concern is rebuilding the infrastructure of the state, repairing nearly 1,900 km (1,180 miles) of affected roads, as well as bridges and waterways strained by the near-constant rainfall.
