Fire death toll in Australia rises to 35

[Dark Knight]

SYDNEY – Police say the confirmed death toll from wildfires that swept southeastern Australia has risen to 35.

Victoria state police spokeswoman Sarah Campbell said Sunday that officials found bodies at 12 different sites across a zone that was blasted

by huge wildfires on Saturday.
Senior officials said earlier the toll from the fires could reach more than 40, and that authorities were still trying to get access to many hard-hit areas.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090208/ap_on_re_as/as_australia_wildfires

 

[JaneInOz]

thanks for reporting this

Shocking isnt it

Im on the other side to it

But another state South Australia had temps of 49 degrees Celsius !

 

[STEADFAST]

This is just such a horrifying tragedy! 108 have died so far.

The number of dead has risen steadily as rescue crews reach townships that bore the brunt of the most intense firestorm northwest of Melbourne, which survivors likened to a nuclear bomb explosion.
...

They wiped out the pretty resort village of Marysville and largely destroyed the town of Kinglake, north of Melbourne, with houses, shops, petrol stations and schools razed to the ground.
...
An AFP photographer who made it into Kinglake described a road strewn with wrecked cars telling of desperate, failed attempts to escape.
The cars appeared to have crashed into each other or into trees as towering flames put an end to their desperate flight from the town.
...
Some did not even make it onto the road, said Victoria Harvey, a resident waiting at a roadblock to be allowed to return to the site of her destroyed home.
She told reporters of a local businessman who lost two of his children as the family tried to flee.
"He apparently went to put his kids in the car, put them in, turned around to go grab something from the house, then his car was on fire with his kids in it and they burnt," she said.
In Kinglake, scores of homes were levelled along with shops and the school. The smouldering ruins of the town were deserted except for police and forensic experts.
Police Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe said there was no doubt that arsonists were behind some of the fires.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jbqaLR_KBPvAjcFZsB9qpjDoxmjA

 

[capps]

To all the Aussie posters here ... please,please be careful and stay safe!!

 

[TinaD]

I live in Victoria, and I think its fair to say that we're all in shock. Official death toll is now 108 with people still missing.

And some of these fires were deliberately lit!!!

 

[Kat]

This is just terrible and makes me so sad for all those that lost their loved ones in these fires.

 

[Heaven]

Death Toll has now reached 130.
Thoughts and love to all those who have lost loved ones and possessions.

 

[STEADFAST]

The death toll is over 170 now. It's incomprehensible.

 

[SuziQ]

It's been shocking to see the death toll go from 19 to 35 to 56 to 78....this morning it's expected to rise to over 200. Sending prayers to everyone affected there.

 

[elfie]

Praying for rain in Victoria and Sydney. My daughter just returned to go back to school in Melbourne, today. It was difficult to see her go. I hope she can be of help, she's studying to be a vet. I went online today see the local reporting and it was devastating. Sending prayers for all of the families affected by this horrible tragedy. I could only donate to the RedCross, I wish I could do more.

 

[Dark Knight]

"Millions" of animals perished in the fires:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090211/ap_on_re_au_an/as_australia_wildfires_animals

 

[elfie]

"Millions" of animals perished in the fires:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090211/ap_on_re_au_an/as_australia_wildfires_animals

So incomprehensible. The story of Sam the koala and the firefighter Dave Tree who found her and offered her the bottles of water is mentioned in the article and offers a ray of hope in light of the devastation. Thanks for sharing this link.

 

[CyberLaw]

Hope and inspiration at a devastating time, when the Australian people needed it most, both of these Koalas have no idea that the people of Australia have adopted them as "their" own.

Our oldest 17 is even aware of what is happening in Australia. My very best hope and wishes for everyone in Australia, especially those that have lost loved ones in these terrible and devastating fires.

But those two, I keep looking at the picture, and just imagine what the firefighter felt and the Koala felt when he offered her water. amazing. I am very glad that Australia tends to these animals, the little creatures that suffer the most as their home is gone also.

May our best wishes be with our friends in OZ. I really hope that these fires end soon and there is no more loss of life.