This project was completed with the support of the CRC's funding for quick response.

Historically, research on the social, economic and health impacts of extreme weather and natural disaster has focused on the housed population. However, people experiencing homelessness are uniquely and severely impacted by severe weather. Prior to this study there was no existing Australian research documenting homeless people's preparedness, response to and immediate recovery from events like the 2016 east coast storms and subsequent flooding.

This study was based in Launceston and sought to document:

1. How homeless people were informed about the oncoming storm,
2. How they responded and how safe these responses were,
3. Did they access evacuation shelters, and how well these met their needs, and
4. The immediate impacts of the storm and floods on their physical and mental health, trauma levels, possessions and social networks.

Read the final report from this study here.