NSW has experienced its most intense storm season in five years, with one insurer revealing the Central West towns with the highest percentage of claims.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Storm season runs from October to March, with the warmer months the peak time for the severe weather events.
In NSW, 61 per cent of all home claims made with NRMA Insurance during 2018-19 were the result of storm damage, the highest proportion since 2014-15.
Data from the insurer also revealed the top five most storm affected areas of Central West NSW, according to the percentage of claims received.
Parkes topped the list (18 per cent of claims), followed by Orange (eight per cent), Forbes (six per cent), Lithgow (five per cent) and Kelso (in Bathurst) at four per cent.
During the same time period, 15 per cent of all car claims received by the insurer were due to storm damage, which is more than double the long-term average.
NSW residents are concerned about the impact of climate change, NRMA said citing its survey of 1000 residents.
It revealed that 61 per cent residents think climate change will make storms more frequent and intense in the future, while 57 per cent feel that climate change has already made storms worse.
Almost half of NSW residents (47 per cent) were worried about the impact of climate change on their suburb or town in the future, while 41 per cent were worried about impact on their own property.
Finally, while 84 per cent of NSW residents believe that preparing early helped to reduce the risk of storm damage, four in 10 do not prepare their their home for severe storms.
State Emergency Service Central West community capability officer Josh Clark said the SES and the Bureau of Meteorology worked together to keep the community informed about wild weather and the chance of storms across the region.
"It's really to make the community of what's happening around them and give them time to prepare," he said.
Storm safe tips
- Clean gutters
- Trim trees and branches around your property
- Tidy up your backyard, trampolines and shade shelters often get blown around
- Stay away from windows during a storm as debris can fly around and hit windows
- Visit the NSW SES for more information
DO YOU WANT MORE ORANGE NEWS AND EVENTS?
- Receive our free newsletters delivered to your inbox, as well as breaking news alerts. Sign up below ...