Australia's worst (mostly) natural disaster ever

I'm am shocked that no-one has posted about this, especially considering how many people here seem to live in Australia.

I think it is disgusting that some of the fires were started by arsonists and some of them even restarted. I hope that they are caught and punished to and beyond the full extent of the law, regardless of their age.

I mean, as the prime minister said, this amounts to mass murder.

BBC link here.

Current body count: 180

 

It's so depressing. My heart goes out to everyone affected.
I read this sub-story, and it made me cry (happiness... kind of?). http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-koala11-2009feb11,0,5477507.story

 

I heard from Ellen DeGeneres that the body count is up to 250 now.

Sad.

 

WHAT!? The BBC currently has it at 180 :S

 

I think that's what she said.

 

I live in Western Australia and a lot of people are talking about it all the time, they seem really shocked about it over here. I wonder how people will rebuild their entire lives after losing everything.. But it's good to see places like the local shops & schools all fundrasing to help out.

 

I live in NSW which is just one state up from the affected area.
Ive been down to victoria once.. last year sometime. Tho nowhere where there was any fires.
But yeah some people must have something lost in there head to start these fires.
Its good so many people are helping out. Obama has called Rudd offering any help he had, the royal family made a personal donation. And ALOT of other people doing things to help out.
But I dono if you guys herd, theres also a bunch of people stooping low enough to go door to door saying there with 'such and such' charity, and ask for donations to help the people, only to take all the money for themselfs.. that is just.. so sick and wrong. :/

 

The same thing happened after 9/11. People tried to profit off of the tragedy =/ Your best bet is to only send money to registered and well-known charities, not door-to-door collections.

I heard on the news that a man has been arrested for purposefully setting fires............as well as on child pornography charges >_> Lets hope that justice is served.

 

There's an amazing substory in it where a koala actually sought out a human for help with it's burns. Read it in the paper the other day. Ver, very rare. They are now good friends.

 

I live in Sydney and we're all raising money for Victorian Victims. apparently, the death toll is expected to climb up to 300+