This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20925716
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 3 | Version 4 |
---|---|
Australia bushfires: Tasmania search for 100 'missing' | Australia bushfires: Tasmania search for 100 'missing' |
(about 13 hours later) | |
Australian police are searching fire-ravaged towns in southern Tasmania looking for 100 unaccounted people. | Australian police are searching fire-ravaged towns in southern Tasmania looking for 100 unaccounted people. |
Tasmania's police commissioner said he feared lives may have been lost in the wildfires which swept through parts of the island in recent days. | Tasmania's police commissioner said he feared lives may have been lost in the wildfires which swept through parts of the island in recent days. |
Almost 3,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, many stranded in emergency shelters. | Almost 3,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, many stranded in emergency shelters. |
On Friday, Tasmania experienced its peak temperature since records began with levels hitting 41.8C. | On Friday, Tasmania experienced its peak temperature since records began with levels hitting 41.8C. |
The national weather bureau has warned extremely hot conditions are expected across much of the country next week. | The national weather bureau has warned extremely hot conditions are expected across much of the country next week. |
Acting Tasmania Police Commissioner Scott Tilyard said about 100 remained unaccounted for. | Acting Tasmania Police Commissioner Scott Tilyard said about 100 remained unaccounted for. |
"That's not to say that those people necessarily have come to any harm, but obviously we can't totally eliminate that until we've had confirmed contact with those individuals," Mr Tilyard said. | "That's not to say that those people necessarily have come to any harm, but obviously we can't totally eliminate that until we've had confirmed contact with those individuals," Mr Tilyard said. |
He said the crews, whose numbers have been swelled by relief teams from mainland Australia, were expecting to find "one or more" people who had perished in the fires. | He said the crews, whose numbers have been swelled by relief teams from mainland Australia, were expecting to find "one or more" people who had perished in the fires. |
More than 40 fires are still burning. On Sunday, firefighters issued an emergency warning for residents of Taranna, 29 miles (47km) east of the state capital, Hobart, where a fire has been burning for more than three days. | More than 40 fires are still burning. On Sunday, firefighters issued an emergency warning for residents of Taranna, 29 miles (47km) east of the state capital, Hobart, where a fire has been burning for more than three days. |
Prime Minister Julia Gillard is due to tour Dunalley on Monday, where more than 65 homes, the police station and a school have been destroyed in the small town, 56km east of Hobart. | Prime Minister Julia Gillard is due to tour Dunalley on Monday, where more than 65 homes, the police station and a school have been destroyed in the small town, 56km east of Hobart. |
The BBC's Nick Bryant, in Sydney, says large swathes of south-east Australia are suffering from the worst fire conditions since the Black Saturday disaster almost four years ago, when 173 people in rural Victoria lost their lives. | The BBC's Nick Bryant, in Sydney, says large swathes of south-east Australia are suffering from the worst fire conditions since the Black Saturday disaster almost four years ago, when 173 people in rural Victoria lost their lives. |
He says there has been a combination of a record-breaking heatwave, high winds and drought, with Tasmania by far the worst hit. | He says there has been a combination of a record-breaking heatwave, high winds and drought, with Tasmania by far the worst hit. |