During summer in Australia, we are often very concerned about the risk of bushfire – and rightly so.
But it’s also important to be aware of storm and flood risks in your region, especially with climate drivers such as the current La Niña occurring.
What is La Niña?
La Niña happens when strong equatorial trade winds change ocean surface currents and draw cold water up to the surface. The effect of this includes increased rainfall, cooler daytime temperatures south of the tropics, higher overnight temperatures in the north, more tropical cyclones, and earlier monsoons. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the last La Niña occurred in 2010 and resulted in severe flooding in parts of NSW and Queensland.
Many businesses were unprepared and suffered huge losses as a result, and some were closed for months.
Preparing for storms and floods
As well as checking the weather forecast daily for your region, you should create a storm and flood plan for your business so that you are prepared for these types of events.
This includes ensuring your data is backed up at all times, securing important documents, and preparing your property where necessary. The Victorian SES has more information on preparing for floods.
You should also create a business continuity plan, including how you will manage staff during a crisis, and get back up and running when the emergency is over. The NSW SES has some tips for this.
Lastly, it’s important to have insurance for storm and flood in place, as well as business interruption cover in case you have to close up the business during recovery.
Speak with your local Reliance Partner to receive your no-obligation insurance assessment.