As many of you have undoubtedly heard by now, the state of Victoria is the site of the worst peacetime disaster in Australian history. One hundred and eighty-one people have currently lost their lives and many expect the death toll to climb past two hundred in the coming days. Over one thousand homes have been destroyed, and it is estimated that five thousand people are left homeless. As of Thursday evening, twenty-two fires are still burning, but cooler temperatures and less severe winds have made the situation more manageable for country fire authorities.As mentioned in the last post, Sydney is not threatened by the current devastation, but it is hard to feel unaffected. The country is gripped by a sense of shock and sorrow, and as evidence has surfaced that some of these fires were deliberately lit, there is also a palpable anger. However, there has also been an outpouring of generosity, and according to the Australian Red Cross, over fifty million dollars have been raised for the bushfire appeal.
The horror and tragedy experienced by those in Victoria this week is absolutely unspeakable: story after story recounted the overwhelming noise and the suffocating heat and how the earth became a "living hell" last Saturday. Needless to say, our prayers and sympathies go out to all those families and communities who have been touched by this crisis, and we certainly hope that we have seen the last of the current devastation. If you would like to find more information about the bushfires or donate to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal, please see the links below.
No comments:
Post a Comment