Monday, February 09, 2009

A bushfire update

The official death toll from the Victorian bushfires stands at 84 as I write this, which makes them the worst, in terms of loss of life, in Australian history. & with people still missing, & others in hospital critically burnt, this will probably end up as the second worst natural disaster in Aushistory.

The worst occurred in 1899, Cyclone Mahina which struck Cape York in the country's far north, where the floods are now. More than 400 people died, including the crews of about 100 pearling fleet vessels, & an estimated 100 local Aborigines.

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