Christmas Day bushfire destroys 100 homes in popular tourist spot of Lorne in Victoria

A Christmas Day bushfire has destroyed more than 100 homes in the popular tourist spot of Lorne in Australia's Victoria state. A total of 98 homes had been razed in Wye River and 18 at Separation Creek but, there is no report of any injuries. Firefighters have been battling the blaze along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria's south-west, popular with holidaymakers.
The fire had started with a lightning strike on 19 December and, fanned by strong winds and intense heat in recent days, has already burned across 2,200 hectares (5,437 acres).
This has been reported in bbc.com dated 26 December 2015.

Due to cooler weather and rains, the threat has reduced considerably but some emergency warnings continue to remain in place as some 1,600 residents and tourists from the popular tourist spot of Lorne have been moved out because of fears that a wind change would push the fire towards the town. However, later, they were allowed to return. Many of those who were forced to leave their homes had to spend Christmas night in alternate, hastily-arranged shelters.
It seems more than 500 firefighters, 60 tankers and 18 aircraft have been pressed into service to battle the blaze and fight the flames. Victoria Emergency Management Commissioner has indicated that although the immediate threat had receded, the fire had the "potential to burn" for weeks to come.
As a result of the fires, the Falls Music and Arts Festival, held annually near Lorne, may not go ahead.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Rice on rooftops – a masterplan (satire)

Didi to gift soaps and towels to kids (satire)

Saraswati and Lakshmi and their girlish talks (satire)


Juhi Chawla learns how to ride a scooty

All female pop-group Moranbong Band cancels China goodwill tour

Eagles Of Death Metal to perform at the Olympia Theatre on 16 February


No country liquor in Bihar from April - only Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL)

Thieves make away with sandalwood trees from Santiniketan

76% of butterflies vanishing in Britain - a result of climate change


1,000 British troops and Special forces going to Libya to eliminate ISIS jihadists

United States faced with Syrian refugee influx - nearly 100,000 have entered since 2012

Scotland Yard launches biggest ever crackdown on guns in London

Storm Eva devastates Ireland, flood warnings for Christmas

#stormdesmond #stormeva #cumbria Storm Eva has wreaked destruction on Ireland and entered Britain with flood warnings issued in the North and Scotland for late Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Armed Forces have been put on standby for a Christmas flooding crisis as the North braces for more severe weather and 700 Environment Agency staff and military personnel also being deployed to take care of eventualities.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 24 December 2015.

Nearly 2,000 customers have been left without power in Ireland as the storm crossed the country, with the worst affected areas including County Cork and County Wicklow. Eva has passed over the north of the UK, but the Army is getting ready to bolster flood defenses in Cumbria ahead of further rainfall by putting out sandbags.
as per predictions of the Met Office, 150mm of rain is expected to fall over higher ground in Cumbria with 60-80mm at lower levels and with accompanying 70mph winds.
Speaking after an emergency Cobra meeting, the Environment Secretary has indicated that and, it is possible that there will be further storms, probably on Boxing Day. The weather forecast is that the rain could be persistent and heavy, with the danger of more floods in the region, which is still trying to come out of effects of Storm Desmond earlier this month.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Rice on rooftops – a masterplan (satire)

Didi to gift soaps and towels to kids (satire)

Saraswati and Lakshmi and their girlish talks (satire)


Juhi Chawla learns how to ride a scooty

All female pop-group Moranbong Band cancels China goodwill tour

Eagles Of Death Metal to perform at the Olympia Theatre on 16 February


No country liquor in Bihar from April - only Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL)

Thieves make away with sandalwood trees from Santiniketan

76% of butterflies vanishing in Britain - a result of climate change


1,000 British troops and Special forces going to Libya to eliminate ISIS jihadists

United States faced with Syrian refugee influx - nearly 100,000 have entered since 2012

Scotland Yard launches biggest ever crackdown on guns in London