50 years ago, Cyclone Tracy flattened Darwin – and Australia’s attitude to disasters changed forever

By Milad Haghani, Senior Lecturer of Urban Risk & Resilience, UNSW Sydney
Arthur Stukas, Professor of Social Psychology, La Trobe University

Exactly 50 years ago, on Christmas Eve 1974, Cyclone Tracy struck Darwin and left a trail of devastation. It remains one of the most destructive natural events in Australia’s history.

Wind speeds reached more than 200 kilometres per hour. The cyclone claimed 71 lives and injured nearly 650, and left 70% of the city’s buildings flattened.…

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