Three people remain unaccounted for, authorities have said, after bushfires in the Australian state of Victoria destroyed homes and forced evacuations.
A man, woman and child are missing in the town of Longwood in the north of the state after fires raged through the area on Thursday, prompting officials to issue a risk-of-life warning and urge residents to leave.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Robert Hill said firefighters had encountered the three people, alerting them to the dangers and telling them it was too late to evacuate.
However, he said that when crews returned later in the day, the house the people had been standing in front of had been “completely destroyed” and the trio were “unaccounted for”.
Tim Wiebusch, Victoria emergency management commissioner, advised those in “a bushland area of Victoria” to “leave now if you haven’t left already. If you don’t leave now, it could result in your life being lost.”
He said firefighters had been working overnight in “challenging and difficult conditions” to contain multiple fires, which have caused hundreds of school closures and come amid an intense summer heatwave in the south of country.
He said on Friday: “This morning we have had 40 fires already in the landscape, 30 of those remain active.
‘Catastrophic’ Australian bushfires force evacuations and school closures
Ex-Australia batter Damien Martyn in induced coma after contracting meningitis
Australia PM Anthony Albanese commends ‘courage and compassion’ after Bondi Beach attack in New Year’s message
“As a result of the dynamic and challenging conditions on the Longwood fire, I can now confirm that we have had community and residential property losses.”
Mr Wiebusch also confirmed “multiple” properties had been “damaged or lost” in the town of Ruffy, about 109 miles north of Melbourne, including homes, the community centre and telephone exchange.
Read more:
‘Catastrophic’ Australian bushfires force evacuations
Philippines: Two dead, 35 missing after landfill collapse
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, visiting the National Emergency Management Agency in Canberra, said he was hoping “for the best” but preparing “for the worst”.
He said: “People need to listen to the advice as it comes through. If you’re asked to leave your property, please do so.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
“Our thoughts are with all those that are confronting these difficult conditions today and over coming days.
“We hope for the best but we prepare for the worst.”
Meteorologists have said conditions are on par with 2019, when bushfires destroyed large swathes of southeastern Australia, killing 33 people in what became known as the Black Summer.
