When Cyclone Alfred hit the eastern coast of Australia, it didn’t just knock out power and flood cities,it sent shockwaves across oceans. Thousands of kilometers away, students at The Columbus School in Medellín, Colombia found themselves wondering: would we be ready for something like that?

The devastation caused by Cyclone Alfred in Australia became a case study in natural disaster preparedness for Colombian students and educators. With over 330,000 buildings losing power and communities forced to adapt, the cyclone prompted important reflections on how Colombia would respond to a similar crisis. From student concerns about education disruptions to innovative uses of electric vehicles during outages, Cyclone Alfred became a global learning moment about resilience, climate change, and the urgent need for disaster education.

Electric vehicle batteries powering fridges and laptops during the storm surprised senior Emilio Medina.

“I didn’t expect that electric cars could be used as power sources,” Medina said. “That was really interesting.”

Like many students, he followed the news closely as the storm intensified. The scale of damage made him reflect on Colombia’s own vulnerabilities.

“Not cyclones, but we do have floods, landslides, and earthquakes. Some areas are very vulnerable,” he said.

Juana Molina, another senior at The Columbus School, was also struck by the cyclone’s reach.

“I was shocked by how much damage it caused, especially to communities and the environment,” she said.

Though she’s never lived through a natural disaster herself, she noted similarities to local events.

“I’ve heard of floods and landslides here—it seems similar in terms of the chaos, though Cyclone Alfred seemed more powerful and widespread.”

For both students, the cyclone highlighted gaps in education.

“We learn about some disasters in science, but we don’t have proper drills or emergency plans,” Molina explained. “More hands-on practice would help.”

Medina agreed: “We have fire drills, but not much about earthquakes or floods.”

Their classmate, Susana Pertuz Munera, echoed those concerns.

“I saw it on the news. It seemed like a really intense storm,” she said.

Pertuz Munera believes Colombia’s emergency preparedness is uneven.

“Some places have good emergency plans, but in general, we could do more,” she added.

The interviews revealed a shared concern: the lack of infrastructure to withstand severe weather.

“We should be doing more practice and more procedures,” said Mr. Andrew Shainker, a high school teacher. “We could do more drills, more science research, and learn to recognize patterns.”

Shainker also stressed the emotional toll such disasters could have.

“If I visited Australia after the cyclone, I would feel fear,” he said.

Despite not knowing much about Colombia’s exact disaster protocols, he supported initiatives like lifted housing and flood prevention systems.

Sofia Cardenas, another senior, brought a critical perspective on media coverage.

“The media often dramatizes natural disasters,” she said. “They focus on the destruction and chaos, but I think they sometimes ignore how communities come together and adapt.”

Still, she acknowledged the media’s role in raising awareness.

“Extreme weather events make people realize the urgency of climate change,” she noted.

In the face of hypothetical danger, students imagined what they’d do.

“If I had to evacuate, I’d take my phone, a backpack with essentials, and important documents,” Cardenas said.

Pertuz Munera emphasized community response: “Young people should learn more about how to react in emergencies and help spread awareness.”

Technology also emerged as a key theme.

“Things like early warning systems, better weather tracking, and even social media can save lives,” Medina said.
Students agreed that real-time communication and rapid coordination could prevent chaos and save lives.

Despite their distance from Cyclone Alfred’s destruction, these Colombian students walked away with critical lessons.

“Natural disasters like Cyclone Alfred remind us that we all need to be better prepared,” said Molina.

For many, the takeaway is simple: understanding the risks, sharing knowledge, and building resilience could make all the difference when disaster strikes.