Three dead, several missing as Australia counts the cost of devastating bushfires

Black Hawk helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and naval vessels have all been deployed, along with military personnel.

January 01, 2020 09:14 am | Updated 10:34 am IST - SYDNEY

A Rural Fire Service (RFS) firefighter conducts mopping up near the town of Sussex Inlet on December 31, 2019 in Sydney, Australia.

A Rural Fire Service (RFS) firefighter conducts mopping up near the town of Sussex Inlet on December 31, 2019 in Sydney, Australia.

Australian authorities on January 1 confirmed a third person had died in the devastating bushfires that engulfed the southeast coastal region this week and said a fourth person was missing and feared dead.

Fanned by soaring temperatures, columns of fire and smoke blackened entire towns on December 30 and 31, forcing thousands of residents and holidaymakers to seek shelter on beaches. Many stood in shallow water to escape the flames.

In total, there have been 12 fire-related deaths across Australia since blazes broke out a few months ago, including three volunteer firefighters, after a three-year drought in large parts of the nation created tinder-dry conditions.

Huge bushfires have destroyed more than 4 million hectares (10 million acres) — an area larger than Japan — and new blazes are sparked almost daily by extremely hot and windy conditions and, most recently, dry lightning strikes created by the fires themselves.

A view shows light and smoke from wild bushfires in Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia December 31, 2019, in this image taken from the Goodwin Sands sandbar in the lake.

A view shows light and smoke from wild bushfires in Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia December 31, 2019, in this image taken from the Goodwin Sands sandbar in the lake.

 

Cooler conditions on Wednesday gave the country a moment to count the cost of the fires, although there were still more than 100 blazes in New South Wales (NSW) state alone and thousands of firefighters on the ground.

The body of a man was found in a burnt car early on Wednesday on the south coast of New South Wales after emergency workers began reaching the most damaged areas, according to the state's Rural Fire Service (RFS).

The death toll is likely to rise, NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said. “We still have grave concerns for (another person),” he told reporters in Sydney. There is “limited access to the remote area to try to identify and confirm one way or the other the status of that person.”

NSW police did not identify the missing man but said he was 72 years old and authorities have been unable to reach his home.

200 homes destroyed

Several fires continue to burn in the area, making assessments difficult, though local lawmaker Fiona Phillips said she estimates as many as 200 homes have been destroyed.

Large-scale livestock and animal casualties are also expected across Australia's east coast, though Mogo Zoo - home to Australias largest collection of primates, along with zebras, white rhinos, lions, tigers and giraffes was saved.

The wildlife park was threatened by an out-of-control bushfire, though zoo keepers and firefighters managed to save all 200 animals.

In Victoria state, four people remain missing, state Premier Daniel Andrews said, after a massive blaze ripped through Gippsland - a rural region about 500 km (310 miles) east of Melbourne. About 4,000 people in the town of Mallacoota in Victoria headed to the waterfront after the main road was cut off.

With thousands of people still stranded, Australia's military has been drafted in to provide supplies and assist with evacuations in areas, many of which have been left without power for hours. In Ulladulla, a small coastal town about 230 km south of Sydney, many residents and holidaymakers were scrambling to get supplies, leading to long lines outside the few shops open on a public holiday.

Black Hawk helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and naval vessels have all been deployed, along with military personnel.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said authorities were working to restore communications with areas cut off by the fires, and she warned conditions will deteriorate again over the weekend.

Australia's capital Sydney was blanketed in thick smoke, reaching about 20 times hazardous levels, prompting health warnings.

The smoke has also drifted to New Zealand where it has turned the daytime sky orange across the South Island.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.