Smart way to subdue a cyclone

CYCLONE Debbie washed away homes, roads and businesses, leaving many devastated by the destruction of their livelihood.

But a university expert believes our cities can be designed to survive severe weather events.

Sustainable Urban Environments professor at the University of Technology, Rob Roggema, told news.com.au cyclones were going to become more disastrous in the future and could even hit places as far south as Sydney, and Australia needed to prepare.

He has a design plan for cities so a cyclone doesn’t leave billions of dollars worth of damage in its wake.

Cyclone Debbie, which hit North Queensland last week, is the largest to impact the region in several years and could cost hundreds of millions in lost tourism revenue, insurance and clean-up.

“When a cyclone or severe storm hits a certain area, the wind is what most people are concerned about,” Prof Roggema said.

“But cyclones are not that damaging. As a matter of fact, the biggest problem is the water that comes with it.”

Because cities are so dense, building more water catchment areas isn’t a realistic option, but Prof Roggema said carparks and buildings could be used to protect cities during wild weather events.

He said basins could also be built on top of skyscrapers to catch rain and stop flooding.