Cyclone Yasi has come and gone.
Its speed was a blessing in disguise and has ensured that it is already well inland and reducing in strength. It has left behind a trail of destruction but few (if any) serious injuries or fatalities. The township of Cardwell was warned to evacuate, but about 100 residents chose not to leave and they have not been contacted as yet.
Worst hit were the coastal towns of Tully, Mission Beach and Cardwell, with hundreds of houses destroyed. The cities of Cairns and Townsville were relatively unscathed but are being lashed by heavy rains; warnings of further storm surges have been issued. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said there had been no reports of deaths or serious injuries so far.
The similarities of Yasi to Katrina is apparent but the differences in their respective impacts is quite striking.
This may be partially due to geography and demographics and the speed with which Yasi drove inland, but observing both from across the world leads me to the perception that the primary differences between Queensland and Louisiana were
- the preparedness of the government and the population,and
- the sense of civic duty in Queensland, and
- the level of trust in the state government institutions, and
- the level of perceived duty within the institutions
The thought of Queensland police looting after Yasi as some New Orleans police did after Katrina is inconceivable. It’s just my perception but I believe it shows the difference between institutions having a fundamental belief that they have a duty to the population they serve and others where the concept of duty is much less developed.
credit bbc
The k2p blog 