Australia: Bushfire catastrophe in pictures

Sydney, Jan 08: World's sixth-largest country by area, Australia, having a wide variety of landscapes, with deserts in the centre, tropical rainforests in the north-east and mountain ranges in the south-east, has been witnessing ravaged wildfires, the country has seen in decades.

The Prime Minister of the country Scott Morrison told reporters that 24 people died due to the blaze so far.

The deadly fires started in September, continue to rip off the nation with torching 15.6 million acres land, destroying over 1,400 homes and killing estimated 480 millions animals reportedly.

The images and videos of burnt Kangaroos, Koalas and other animals in the social media left the world mum.

New South Wales has been hit the hardest by the wildfire, declared a state of emergency.

Wildlives:

Some of the animals killed directly by flames and some of them died due the destruction of the environment, their home and food.

According to the report, around 25,000 Koalas have died from the fires which is almost one-third of all koalas in New South Wales, which is known to be their main habitat.

Ecologists are conveying their concerns about the extinction of endangered species like marsupial, dunnarts, goannas, echidnas, bandicoots and, the glossy black-cockatoos.

Reason:

The reason behind such a fatal bushfire is the combination of a record-high temperature and severe drought conditions in the 14th largest economical country in the world while many are pointing the climate change is the key factor for the destruction.

Australia is facing a heatwave and a record-breaking temperature for last for three months, even went through the hottest day in history of the nation in mid-December.

Drought, the other factor:

The worst droughts is also fuelling the fire as the continent is undergoing its worst drought in decades.
According to the reports, last spring was Australia's driest on record.

According to the Geoscience Australia, a branch of the nation's government, human activity is also a key factor.

New South Wales Rural Fire Service in November arrested a 19-year-old boy on suspicion of arson, and charged him with seven counts of deliberately setting fires over a six-week period.

People in distress:

Tourists have been advised to flee the country and the natives are moving places and storing foods for days.

Thousands of citizens have been left homeless, many rural towns spent days without electricity, telecommunications and drinking water.

Military supports continue the rescue and help.
The PM pledged 2 billion Australian dollars on Monday for a newly created National Bushfire Recovery Agency to help devastated communities.