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How did the community respond to Cyclone Tracy?
The devastation left most people homeless and resulted in mass civilian evacuations, largely of women and children. Nearly 25,000 people were evacuated in less than a week following the cyclone and 7234 more left by road, leaving a remaining, mostly male, population of around 10,000 in temporary accommodation.
What started Cyclone Tracy?
Tracy was first detected as a depression in the Arafura Sea on 20 December 1974. It moved slowly southwest and intensified, passing close to Bathurst Island on the 23rd and 24th. Then it turned sharply to the east southeast, and headed straight at Darwin, striking the city early on Christmas Day.
How much did Darwin destroy Cyclone Tracy?
80 per cent
Cyclone Tracy, which hit Darwin in the small hours of Christmas Day 1974, killed 71 people and devastated 80 per cent of the city.
How did Darwin respond to Cyclone Tracy?
In the aftermath of the cyclone, it became apparent that Darwin needed extensive rebuilding. The Commonwealth established the Darwin Reconstruction Commission, which was tasked with the responsibility of reconstructing the city in fewer than five years. This was in fact accomplished in fewer than three years.
How many animals were killed in Cyclone Tracy?
Additionally, news outlets had only a skeleton crew on duty over the holiday. Tracy killed 71 people, caused A$837 million in damage (1974 dollars), or approximately A$6.85 billion (2018 dollars), or $4.79 billion 2018 USD….Cyclone Tracy.
| Category 4 severe tropical cyclone (Aus scale) | |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | 26 December 1974 |
What damage did Cyclone Tracy cause?
Cyclone Tracy killed 71 people and caused A$837 million in damage (equivalent to around A$4.45 billion in 2014 value). Approximately 30,000 of Darwin’s residents were evacuated, mostly to Adelaide and Sydney, and many never returned to the city.
How many people died in Cyclone Tracy in 1974?
1974: Cyclone Tracy hits Darwin See our classroom resource Darwin suburb of Wagaman Cyclone Tracy, which hit Darwin in the small hours of Christmas Day 1974, killed 71 people and devastated 80 per cent of the city.
How many people died in Cyclone Tracy in Darwin?
Darwin suburb of Wagaman Cyclone Tracy, which hit Darwin in the small hours of Christmas Day 1974, killed 71 people and devastated 80 per cent of the city. In the days and weeks following the disaster, most of the traumatised population left the city.
What was the radius of Tropical Cyclone Tracy?
By world standards, Tracy was a small but intense tropical cyclone at landfall, the radius of gale force winds being only about 50 km. The anemometer at Darwin Airport recorded a gust of 217 km/h before the instrument was destroyed.
Why did Aboriginal people take off after Cyclone Tracy?
Historian and former NT Police Officer Bill Wilson said in the ABC documentary Blown Away that there was talk Aboriginal people had taken off after seeing that birds were leaving and that ants were building on high ground. “There seemed to be fewer traditional people around in the immediate aftermath than I might have expected,” he said.