Australians have been told to prepare their homes for more rain and flooding after it was revealed not enough homeowners were taking steps to protect their properties.
NRMA released its fourth Wild Weather Tracker report on Thursday revealing only 37 per cent of residents had prepared their homes for wild weather in winter.
It came despite unseasonably high rainfall and damaging winds that led to 26,515 people claiming home and vehicle damages.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a wetter than average spring with more heavy rainfall and possible flooding to cause even more damage.
The report found the worst wild weather affected regions in New South Wales and Queensland and rated states on how well prepared they were.
Australians have been told to prepare their homes for more rain and flooding after it was revealed not enough homeowners were taking steps to protect their properties
The biggest wild weather events were related to winter’s unseasonably wet weather that caused storms and floods (pictured, northwest Sydney residents looking at floodwater)
Almost 12,000 NSW NRMA customers claimed insurance on their weather-damaged vehicles in the last three months (pictured, a car submerged in floodwater on Sydney’s outskirts)
NRMA Insurance meteorologist Dr Bruce Buckely urged homeowners to start preparing for the worst.
‘Over the next few months we will see multiple severe weather drivers reinforcing each other, including La Niña and a negative Indian Ocean Dipole, which are likely to bring a much wetter than average spring across the eastern states and through South Australia,’ he said.
‘This is a rare coincidence of climate drivers that favour bursts of very heavy rainfall capable of producing flash and river flooding through spring and early summer.
‘The impacts of a changing climate means that wild weather can strike anywhere at any time but taking a few small steps to both reduce our level of risk and prepare for how we will respond can make a big difference when it happens,’ Dr Buckely said.
Queensland was the best-prepared state with 44 per cent of residents having an emergency plan in place, 45 per cent stocked with an emergency kit and 37 per cent well acquainted enough with their neighbours to help in emergencies.
Data shows the worst affected towns in Queensland this winter were Rockhampton, Caboolture, Toowoomba, Nerang and Bundaberg North.
The regions where wild weather hit the hardest were the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay, Logan-Beaudesert and Ipswich.
NRMA’s winter wild weather report found 26,515 suffered weather damage to their homes or vehicles in the last three months (pictured, a Millers Forest NSW resident at her flood-damaged home)
Only 37 per cent of Australians prepared for wild weather conditions, despite continual warnings of harsh storms and floods (pictured, SES rescuing a baby in NSW’s Hunter Valley)
Mackay, Isaac and the Whitsundays were the best prepared Queensland regions with a readiness score of 71 out of 100, and Central Queensland was the least prepared with a score of 60 out of 100.
NSW was found to be the second-most prepared state this winter.
The report found the towns with the worst wild weather damage were Campbelltown, Wagga Wagga, Port Macquarie, Dubbo, Wollongong, Liverpool, Coffs Harbour, Goulburn, Orange and Blacktown.
The worst affected Sydney suburbs were Campbelltown, Liverpool, Blacktown, Engadine, Castle Hill, Ingleburn, Sydney CBD, Prestons, Casula and Penrith.
The NSW regions with the most wild weather damage were Illawarra, Hunter Valley, Central Coast, Goulburn-Yass, South West Sydney, Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, Mid North Coast, Riverina and Outer West Sydney and Blue Mountains.
Nearly 7,700 homes in NSW claimed damage from wild weather in the last three months on top of almost 12,000 vehicles.
Despite the clear threat of stormy weather and flash floods, only 39 per cent of NSW residents took steps to protect themselves.
Data showed just 36 per cent of people have an emergency kit and 42 per cent have an emergency plan.
The Far South Coast was found to be the most prepared region with a score of 77 out of 100 while the Southern Tablelands were the least prepared with a 56 out of 100.
Rockhampton (welcome sign pictured) was found the be the town hardest hit by wild weather in Queensland this winter
NSW’s Blue Mountains was one of NSW’s most weather affected regions this winter (pictured, a landslide at Katoomba’s train tracks following heavy rain)
South Australia was found to be the third most-prepared state, followed by Western Australia and then the ACT.
The biggest wild weather events recorded for winter were related to unseasonably wet weather, including storms and flooding.
Nation-wide, only 37 per cent of Australians have taken steps to prepare for wild weather in the last three months which is 11 per cent less than winter last year.
When asked why they hadn’t taken precautions 42 per cent said they didn’t believe their suburb would be affected by wild weather, 27 said they didn’t know where to start and 22 per cent said it was difficult to find time to prepare.