Beyond disaster.
It is a tragedy surpassing Ash Wednesday of 1983. Death toll, now at 175, and rising. Towns, wiped out.
Victoria's bushfire disaster has reached international media as a "terror" of unimaginable scale.
Places such as Marysville, a town of historical significance dating back past 100 years, is now non-existent. 98% has been either burned to the ground, exploded in the heat or melted into the earth.
It's like an atomic bomb went off.
In Kingslake, the epicentre of the bushfires, witnesses vowed it was "raining fire". The wind was so violent that the fire was a storm "travelling at 100km/h down the hill." No one, no matter what your fire plan is, can be prepared for that.
People perished trying to save their houses. Others, swarmed by a tidal wave of fire as they sped away in their cars. Many of the dead were those who rushed to escape by their vehicles. It's bloody heart-wrenching.
Living hours away from where these fires are, whilst knowing people who are still under threat, I (along with other Australians) appreciate the support that is incoming for those who have lost their lives and homes. The bushfires in question are actually still raging, of which a lot people do not realise. Praise and bless the CFS crews who are risking themselves to help and save.
It will be years before some may find peace, if they ever do. However, I do hope, while it is highly possible that such an event could once more come to pass in the future, given the change in our climate, a bushfire disaster is never experienced at this magnitude, again.
Please consider donating to places like The Salvation Army. Quite a few "Bushfire Appeals" are being established throughout Australia and internationally.
Anything, at this time, is needed. A lot of work is set for those who have lost virtually everything.
If it's any gage of the seriousness of this tragedy, Victoria's bushfire disaster has made the Front Page of the BBC News.
For full coverage and more information, visit: BBC NEWS - Australia's Fires or Yahoo! - Victorian Bushfires.
Victoria's bushfire disaster has reached international media as a "terror" of unimaginable scale.
Places such as Marysville, a town of historical significance dating back past 100 years, is now non-existent. 98% has been either burned to the ground, exploded in the heat or melted into the earth.
It's like an atomic bomb went off.
In Kingslake, the epicentre of the bushfires, witnesses vowed it was "raining fire". The wind was so violent that the fire was a storm "travelling at 100km/h down the hill." No one, no matter what your fire plan is, can be prepared for that.
People perished trying to save their houses. Others, swarmed by a tidal wave of fire as they sped away in their cars. Many of the dead were those who rushed to escape by their vehicles. It's bloody heart-wrenching.
Living hours away from where these fires are, whilst knowing people who are still under threat, I (along with other Australians) appreciate the support that is incoming for those who have lost their lives and homes. The bushfires in question are actually still raging, of which a lot people do not realise. Praise and bless the CFS crews who are risking themselves to help and save.
It will be years before some may find peace, if they ever do. However, I do hope, while it is highly possible that such an event could once more come to pass in the future, given the change in our climate, a bushfire disaster is never experienced at this magnitude, again.
Please consider donating to places like The Salvation Army. Quite a few "Bushfire Appeals" are being established throughout Australia and internationally.
Anything, at this time, is needed. A lot of work is set for those who have lost virtually everything.
If it's any gage of the seriousness of this tragedy, Victoria's bushfire disaster has made the Front Page of the BBC News.
For full coverage and more information, visit: BBC NEWS - Australia's Fires or Yahoo! - Victorian Bushfires.