Australia: Child among 10 killed after severe storms hit country's east
BBC NewsDEC 29 2023
Australia: Thunderstorms Kill 10, Cause Power Outages
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The Spin
Narrative A
Australia's nightmarish Christmas has come about despite flood warnings and an efficient crisis management system. Besides the tragic loss of lives, the country must now take stock of the material damage the raging storms have caused. Australia needs a paradigm shift in how it deals with climate-related issues, such as Cyclone Jasper.
Narrative B
It's clear from the many extreme weather-related crises Australia has faced in recent years that the country needs to review urbanization. The drainage systems of Australia's cities haven't been able to cope with their expansion, making extreme weather events like Jasper worse. Add to that the widening of built-up areas in these urban agglomerations, which has reduced the earth's permeable surface area through which water can seep down, and it becomes clear why extreme weather is being so poorly dealt with.