MELBOURNE, Australia: Over 300 structures have been destroyed in the ongoing bushfire crisis in the southeast Australian state of Victoria, authorities said today as they announced support for affected communities, reported Xinhua.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Premier of Victoria, Jacinta Allan, today announced a AUD19.5 million (RM52.91 million) emergency funding package to provide immediate support to communities across the state affected by the fires.
The funding includes AUD10 million (RM27.2 million) to supply fodder to farmers who have been affected by significant livestock losses, AUD1.5 million (RM4.1 million) in emergency accommodation support for thousands of people who have been ordered to evacuate their homes and AUD1 million (RM2.73 million) for mental health support.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Allan and emergency services personnel in the central Victorian city of Bendigo, Albanese said that the federal government would support Victorians through the crisis and the recovery period.
“We’ve got your back,” he said. “We’ll work cooperatively with the state government to make sure we deliver what is necessary so that people and communities can get back on their feet after what has been a very difficult period.”
There were 32 bushfires burning across Victoria as of this morning, with 15 warnings in place advising residents to evacuate their communities.
Allan said that complying with evacuation orders is the best way to protect and save lives.
Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner, Tim Wiebusch, said at the press conference that authorities have confirmed over 300 structures have been destroyed by fire across the state.
He said that around 150 of those structures had been destroyed by a fire near the central Victorian town of Longwood, 120 kilometres north of Melbourne, which has burnt through around 144,000 hectares of land since Wednesday.
The fire near Longwood was one of three bushfires that remained at emergency-level today, with the others in western Victoria and the state’s far northeast.
Temperatures were forecast to fall today, but authorities have warned that strong winds would continue to pose a significant threat and firefighting conditions would remain difficult. – BERNAMA-XINHUA
