MELBOURNE: More than 30 homes have been damaged or destroyed by a bushfire in the Australian island state of Tasmania, and evacuated residents have been warned it is still unsafe to return, reported Xinhua.
Authorities on Sunday night said that 19 homes had been destroyed and another 14 had been damaged by the fire in the small coastal town of Dolphin Sands, located 105 kilometres (km) northeast of Hobart, the state capital.
Tasmania’s Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner, Jeremy Smith, said at a press conference that over 120 assets, including outbuildings, garages and electricity infrastructure, had sustained damage.
The fire had been contained as of Monday morning local time, according to the Tasmania Fire Service, but residents who evacuated the area have been warned it is not yet safe to return due to the threat posed by forecast damaging winds of up to 100 km per hour.
Incident Controller Michael Goldsmith said on Monday that fallen trees, damaged infrastructure and debris still pose serious risks.
An updated emergency warning issued the same day stated that fire investigation and hazard assessment efforts were underway.
Anyone remaining in Dolphin Sands has been urged to keep monitoring conditions and be prepared to act if the situation worsens.
Tasmania Police said emergency services were conducting welfare checks on residents who stayed behind and ensuring they had essential supplies.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. – BERNAMA-XINHUA
