WORLD> Asia-Pacific
128 killed in deadliest-ever Australian wildfires
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-02-09 07:58

On Sunday the prime minister, on a tour of the fire zone, paused to comfort a man who wept on his shoulder, telling him, "You're still here, mate."


A statue of a woman and child is seen amongst the remains of houses destroyed by bushfires in the town of Heathcote Junction, 55km (34 miles) north of Melbourne, February 8, 2009. [Agencies]

When conditions were at their worst on Saturday, the skies rained ash and trees exploded in the inferno as temperatures of up 117 F (47 Celsius) combined with blasting winds to create furnace-like conditions, witnesses said.

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Police said they were hampered from reaching burned-out areas to confirm details of deaths and property loss.

Police spokeswoman Marika Sengler in Victoria said Monday that 128 deaths had been confirmed. At least 80 people were hospitalized with burns.

"Hell in all its fury has visited the good people of Victoria," Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said. "It's an appalling tragedy for the nation."

Rudd announced immediate emergency aid of 10 million Australian dollars ($7 million), and government officials said the army would be deployed to help fight the fires and clean up the debris.

Australia's worst fires before these were in 1983, when blazes killed 75 people and razed more than 3,000 homes in Victoria and South Australia state.

Wildfires are common during the Australian summer. Government research shows about half of the roughly 60,000 fires each year are deliberately lit or suspicious. Lightning and people using machinery near dry brush are other causes.

Dozens of fires were also burning in New South Wales state, where temperatures remained high for the third consecutive day. But there was no immediate threat to property.