Southern Spirit Hunters
Beyond The Spirits => In The News => Topic started by: fallen on Feb 07, 2009, 05:09:29 PM
-
my home state of Victoria is burning. Melbourne, the capital of the Australian state of Victoria had its highest temperature on record 46C (115F)... and the forests there, and in New South Wales are buring.
25 are dead, 100's of homes have been destroyed- a town that I spent many winters in, Marysville (about 100km NE of Melbourne) has been almost totally wiped off the map. The historic city of Bendigo is surrounded by fire - this is where my aunt, uncle and cousins live.
6 died in a car trying to flee the fires just north of Melbourne.
People are saying that these fires are going to be as bad as the Ash Wednesday fire of 1983, where 72 perished and almost all of Victoria and part of South Australia burned (about 20 towns were wiped off the map).
These fires are being deliberately lit by faceless cowards.
I am concerned, as my parents and brother live in front of a large national forest, my aunt, uncle and cousins live on a farm outside of Bendigo....
Article (http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2009/02/08/49995_latest-news.html)
-
I will keep a prayer said for yours and others, Damien. I also live in a fire prone area snug up to national forest. Lost part of my gardens and blistered the paint on my house in '02.
-
That is so saddening, praying all I can do. And I hope they catch the person(s) involved, real soon, punished to the fullest extent.
-
I remember back in early 1988 - when I was 11 and living with my ma and pa in that same area, we had a major fire that caused damage and injury.
That forest will soon be replaced with a highway, but every year, some jerk lights a fire.
Having faced a wall of hell fire once before, I believe that no lenience should ever be afforded to these animals - they should burn themselves
-
Sorry for the double post, but an update - and a not so nice one I am afraid - it appears that the town of Kinglake, just to the north of Melbourne may have been pretty much totally destroyed...
...and a 14 year old, 9 year old and their uncle were found dead there.
Simply shocking.
Article (http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25024010-661,00.html)
-
My prayers are with you and your family, as well as all those affected by the fire. Sure seems the whole earth is having to deal with extreme mother nature this year. Hope the person(s) responsible for the fire is/are caught and punished to the full extent of the law.
-
Thank you - just got word that my uncle's farm is okay at the moment - however, the fire near them has destroyed up to a 100 houses.
Kinglake has been copletely wiped off the map - there is nothing left of that town.
Marysville is apparantly 80% destroyed.
The outer suburbs of Melbourne are being hit very hard as well.
-
here is some ABC news footage of devastated Marysville (http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2009/02/08/2485362.htm)
Narbethong has also been wiped off the map
-
Oh my gosh, that video is devastating to watch. So much destruction. My prayers continue for all of those affected.
-
I can make out where the pub is that was near where my aunt lived - near the wood mill... many meals and karaoke nights in there - it looks that the house, the pub and the mill are gone.
The hotel is gone, as is the police station and national park office.
I have many fond memories of Marysville - many school vacations I stayed there. It heart breaking to see it all gone now.
-
Wow.. total destruction! And these fires are intentionally set? I do hope they find the person(s) responsible!
-
it seems that most of the fires were deliberately lit.
New South Wales also has fires raging out of control.
Ironically, Queensland is experiencing massive flooding, with over a 3rd of that state flooded
-
Oh man, this is quite distressing.
Kinglake, Narbethong and Marysville are pretty much completely gone
the toll now stands at 35 confirmed dead - there are reports of many bodies in the shattered towns. Apparantly many burnt out cars have the remains of people in them. Many childen have perished.
The ambulance service has been stretched beyond breaking point, they can not reachsome areas, including tending to the injured in the 3 towns above.
Firefighters from Tasmania are being flown into help.
The number of homes lost is in the 100's
Power has been cut to the north of the state and is likely to stay that way for a while.
The Army has been mobilised to help the exhausted firefighters.
-
Firefighters flown in and militia help will be key. You need to rest, Damien. Or we will be praying for you. It is distressing. But there is little you can do right now from so far away.
-
i am in constant contact with my family - ma and pa are in no risk at the moment, but my uncle and family are in Bendigo - currently over 100 homes are lost and 1 is confirmed dead.
News from Marysville - only 2 buildings stand and 8 are dead, including children.
The fires are still raging - and some ae suggeting that the toll may reach over 100
-
Current update:
49 dead
649 homes destroyed - aout 550 in Kinglake
dozens are missing and injured (some are very critically injured)
many fires still burning
The community spirit is alive and well - I am hearing on streamed radio of many people dropping what they are doing and going to help at the evac centres
-
This is heartbreaking...
currently:
65 are dead - many died in their cars trying to get away from the fires
640 houses destroyed
power outages across the state
the towns of Kinglake and Marysville have been wiped off the map
i have relatives and friends in the danger areas... Marysville was my '2nd' home.
just heard on the radio that a man that has not heard from his wife and 3 children since their house was destroyed 18hours ago... poor guy!
-
This is soooo sad, Damien. :( I am relieved to read that you have been able to get in touch with your family.
Prayers for all that are affected by these fires and the family members that are worried about them and can't reach them... :pray:
Edit:I just read that some of the fires are deliberately being reset! :o I am beyond words... :tickedoff:
-
It is all so horribly sad. I saw a story on the news today and they said that over 100 had passed away in the fires. The pictures were worse than any I have seen of fires before in how widespread they were.
-
131 confirmed dead - and unconfirmed about 200+ dead...
The situation in Marysville is grim, they are finding dozens of bodies...out of a population of 800
Healesville is being evacuated
-
it is so heartbreaking - that is my home state, those areas are places i have travelled to and enjoyed - I have friends in many f those places.
I can't do much here in Japan, but I did go onto the Australian Red Cross wbsite and donated a few hundred dollars... it is the least I could do.
-
173 dead now, many fires are still raging, putting more towns at risk
-
As a person who lives in a fire prone area, i am so sad to see this. Many prayers for all involved.
-
181 dead now, they reckon itll reach 300 ... fires are coming under control...
bureaucracy has caused many problems as well
-
I was watching the news coverage on the fires this morning. It is just sooo sad that someone keeps deliberately restarting these fires. The reporter stated that whoever started these fires, when caught, should be dealt with as a mass murderer. I agree. I, also, think that the culprit(s) should be burned to death to show him/them what the people who are losing their lives are going through... :(
-
I totally agree.
The reports now state that the destroyed town of Marysville may have lost 1 in 5 people (possible 100 dead there alone)
-
and it is something that is ingrained in the Aussie psyche...
it has been jus half a week since the disaster began, and Aussies, strapped in a recession, have donated over 35 million dollars - and that number is just from everyday Aussies - the companies and government have come to the party as well..
1000's have dropped everything and volunteered their time to help.
There have been so many donations, everything from food and blankets to even cars and trucks.
The Australian cricketers have given their time to give hope to those displaced people.
There are people sheltering their neighbours, and people calling in offering free accommodation.
At the sausage sizzle in one of the evacuation centres, a person went up to buy 2 sausages in bread and handed over $1000, smiled and walked away.
Yes, there are looters, yes there are arsonists and other low lifes, but...
the amount of kindness being shown by everyday people shines bright in this dark time for my fellow Victorians.
The Aussie spirit is world renowned, it is a spirit forged out of trouble and strife and once again, the spirit is still alive and showing the way for these people.
This is how I know that these towns will rebuild, that the people will find a way.
-
These are the stories that I wait for after disasters. Thank you
-
Those are the stories that make us all remember that while there are a few bad apples in our world, there are far more good ones willing to make a positive difference in each others lives.
-
despite the horrors of the fires that still rage, the lives lost of which the toll will rise... of the evil that are the arsonists...
I am so proud of the people in my country at the moment...
in less than a week, the Australian people have raised over $100,000,000 - this is just from everyday Aussies....
The spirit lives on, stronger than ever.
-
That is fantastic!
Have they caught the arsonists yet? I saw somewhere that two people were being questioned...
-
they have some suspects in custody.
There are still about a dozen fires burning, but no serious threats.
The toll still stands at 181, but is expected to rise sharply, as in Marysville alone, it is believed that 100 are dead
-
189 dead now... the toll is expected to rise further
-
So very, very sad. :(
It makes my blood boil to know that some of the fires were deliberately set. How can a person live with themself after knowing that they deliberately caused loss of life and so much pain and hurt?... :tickedoff:
-
I am not sure about them, but the judicial system will sort them out.
The devastated town of Marysville is still considered a crime scene, as such, no one is allowed to go into it - the search teams are now going to be searching in the ruins of the houses.
Marysville had a population of about 500, 43 are confirmed dead from there - that number is expected to rise to about 100.
At Kinglake, where 128 people died, they have started to rebuild.
Next Sunday is going to be a national day of mourning for our worst ever disaster.
On a personal note, as a Victorian - as someone who was born and raised in that state of Australia that has been shattered. As someone who spent many holidays in Marysville and many other places that suffered from this tragedy...
I feel heartbroken, alongside my fellow Victorians there and afar.
We are no stranger to bushfires, not at all - they happen every year in Victoria - but this one was unprecedented, never anywhere in Australia has a disaster been this wide ranging, so devastating.
-
..., but the judicial system will sort them out.
...
Just hope its a harsh punishment, no idea what the laws are there.
-
well, to be honest, I have little faith in the so called justice system anywhere. The do-gooders would probably get lenience for them for some nonsense retarded esoteric reasons.
But these people do not feel remorse, and any they show is likely to be fake. But their lives are ruined as they have been named publicly and will never have a normal life again - by their own actions.
I have and never will have any sympathy for whatever happens to them, as they brought it entirely on themselves.
-
There are many many reports of heroes of the fires.. including:
The 17 year old student and volunteer firefighter, named Kelly - on her first ever fire response, she is credited with saving 200 people from the Kinglake - where 139 are now confirmed dead...
The 2 police officers that evacuated 200 people from Marysville, where 46 have been confirmed dead and that number is expected to reach and maybe excede 100...
The young lad who drove a tractor through burning paddocks to rescue trapped people...
A firefighter was killed today... a volunteer, several have been injured...
as of writing this post, the toll is now 200
-
I will add - the firefighters from Australia and from other countries - including New Zealand and the US who are working hard and fighting the fires.
The Austraian Army building firebreaks, identifiying the dead.
The Indonesian victim identification team who joined the Australian team...
The 10,000's of volunteers who are giving their services and time...
to everyone who have said a prayer, to everyone who thought about the people
all are heroes in their own right
-
I havent seen the news on these fires just heard / seen the news on here, it saddens me to find out that people are so cruel towards fellow humans, I am with the news reporter they should charge this maniac as a murderer of mass destruction..... all my prayers go out to the people effected by this careless act especially towards the families that have lost loved ones.