News in relation to Australia on 6.2.11

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12375918

6 February 2011 Last updated at 09:35 GMT

 

WILDFIRES HIT WESTERN AUSTRALIA AFTER NORTH-EAST FLOODS

 

WILDFIRES have destroyed a number of homes in western Australia, as the north-east of the country continues to be affected by FLOODING brought about by Cyclone YASI last week.

 

FLOODING also affected the southern state of VICTORIA after Yasi caused a series of thunderstorms over MELBOURNE and other large towns in the state.

The resulting two days of heavy rain caused further flooding.

 

Yasi, a category-five storm (the worst), hit several Queensland towns.

 

It compounded the state's misery, coming on the heels of devastating floods that have claimed 35 lives and destroyed hundreds of homes since December.

 

In the western Australian city of Perth, wildfires tore through suburbs, destroying at least a dozen homes. There have been no reports of casualties.

 

In VICTORIA, the Melbourne suburb of ELWOOD was one of the hardest hit, with floodwaters cutting off many houses and washing cars off roads, the Associated Press news agency reports.

 

Melbourne received half its average annual rainfall in just a day, AP says.

 

In QUEENSLAND, some 7,000 people remain in evacuation centres and thousands more are living in their battered homes without power or water supplies.

Communication links have yet to be restored to many areas.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12376144

6 February 2011 Last updated at 11:27 GMT

 

BUSHFIRES BURN ACROSS PARTS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

 

Bushfires are burning out of control in the suburbs of the western Australian city of PERTH.

 

The flames have already destroyed a handful of homes.

 

Hundreds of residents have been moved out of their homes but there are no reports of injuries. Ben Lowings reports.

NEWS ON 16.2.11 IN RELATION TO AUSTRALIA

 

NEWS ON 16.2.11 IN RELATION TO AUSTRALIA and NATURAL DISASTERS

 

 

AUSTRALIA: TROPICAL STORM SWEEPS DARWIN

 

A tropical storm has caused damage in northern Australia. Cyclone "Carlos" is by far not so powerful as "YASI" which swept across the east coast at the beginning of February. In the Darwin region, dozens of trees were uprooted, and electricity poles came down. 11 houses were flooded according to rescue services.

 

Authorities warned 125,000 inhabitants against floods and power cuts and them to leave their homes - to prepare for evacuation.

 

Darwin was destroyed by cyclone "Tracy" in 1974 when 74 were killed and more than 80% of the houses were destroyed.

Text from German TV channel 2 - ZDFtext:

 

EARTHQUAKES SHOOK AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND TAIWAN

 

2 magnitude 5.2 earthquakes shook north-eastern AUSTRALIA and CHRISTCHURCH in NEW ZEALAND. So far there is no report of material damage or casualties. There were temporary power failures in some parts of Christchurch.

 

In February 2011, a magnitude 6.3 quake destroyed the central part of Christchurch.

 

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake was measured off the north-eastern coast of TAIWAN. No reports of casualties or material damage.