Australian bushfires: 'Black Saturday' death toll rises to 66 amid devastating destruction
The death toll from bushfires that have devastated towns and farmland across southeastern Australia has risen to 66 and could climb higher, authorities warn, in one of the worst infernos in the country's history.
Bunyip Ridge bushfire, near TonimbukPhoto: EPA
By Bonnie Malkin in Sydney
8:11AM GMT08 Feb 2009
Authorities in Victoria have started the grim search for bodies after what has become the worst day of bushfires in the state's history, far eclipsing Ash Wednesday in 1983 when 47 people died.
It was estimated at least 640 homes had been lost and several townships razed as nine fires ravaged the state in 24 hours of terror that has already been dubbed "Black Saturday".
Authorities suspect arsonists are responsible for lighting or relighting some of the fires.
At least 26 blazes covering 210,000 hectares are still burning, of which 12 were listed as "under control".
Most of the dead were discovered in towns northeast of Melbourne including Kinglake, Callignee, Wandong and Bendigo.
Several people were killed as they tried to escape the flames in their cars.
At least six bodies were found in one car at Kinglake and one woman's body was found in another vehicle, with crockery on the seat beside her.
Police have not yet given the gender or ages of the victims, but one Kinglake resident said three members of the same family, believed to include a 14-year-old girl, a nine-year-old boy and an uncle, had died in the same house.
Keiran Walshe, Victoria's deputy fire commissioner, warned that more children were likely to be among the casualties.
The extent of the damage has left the state, and the country, in deep shock.
John Brumby, the premier of Victoria, broke down while talking to the media about the number of people who had suffered severe burns.
He described the bushfires as "a monster that couldn't be controlled" and said the state had experienced "hell on earth".
Kevin Rudd, the prime minister, announced emergency funding for the state and has offered to send in the army to help firefighters.
"Hell in all its fury had visited ... many good people lie dead," he said.
News of the escalating death toll came as horrifying eyewitness accounts of the fires started to emerge.
Residents of the worst-hit regions told of how a thick blanket of black ash blotted out the sun, leaving a 'horrible orange glow'.
Others described trees "exploding" and roads "peppered with burnt out cars".
Many people abandoned their homes to shelter in their swimming pools and dams as the flames closed in around them.
One Kinglake resident said "it rained fire".
Another witness, in Marysville, described the town as "a warzone, like a bomb had been dropped".
Strathewen resident Mary Avola said her husband of 43 years, Peter Avola, was among those killed.
"He was behind me for a while and we tried to reach the oval but the gates were locked," she told Melbourne's Herald Sun.
"He just told me to go and that's the last time I saw him."
Firefighter Richard Hoyle described the scene as "a holocaust".
"The road is riddled with burnt-out cars involved in multiple collisions and debris," he said.
A cool change is now helping firefighters tackle the flames, but Mr Brumby warned the only thing that could put the fires out was rain.
Bruce Esplin, emergency services commissioner, said nature had given Victoria "a beating of unimaginable proportions" and warned worse could be to come as the baking summer continues.
Wildfires are a natural annual event in Australia, but the ongoing drought, warm winds and recent spate of extremely hot weather have combined to create the deadly conditions.
Bushfires have killed more than 250 people in Australia in the last 40 years.
On Ash Wednesday in February 1983 - described as the country's worst bushfire tragedy - blazes killed 75 people as they swept across Victoria and South Australia.
Australian bushfires: 'Black Saturday' death toll rises to 66 amid devastating destruction
- In your own words, define the 10 underlined words in the article.
- What is the topic of this article?
- What were the effects of Black Saturday? (as mentioned in the article)
- Which bushfire was more severe, Black Saturday or Ash Wednesday? Provide facts to support your answer.
- Where did most of the deaths occur?
- What factors contributed to the bushfires starting and spreading?
- Identify the following persuasive language techniques used in the article. You need to complete the table by giving an example of the persuasive language technique used in the article and the effect that this technique has on the reader.
Persuasive language techniques used: / Example / Effect on the reader
Emotive language
Reference to a public figure
Statistics
- Can you think of any other persuasive language techniques used in the article?