Australia’s Bushfire Losses Top 1,000

Insurers Receive 1,011 claims for bushfire losses totaling $138 million

As of October 25, insurers in Australia have received 1,011 claims, with the losses caused by October bushfires estimated at $138 million, said the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA).

“While claims lodgements have stabilised over the past couple of days, we expect these to begin climbing again as returning residents assess any property damage,” said ICA CEO Rob Whelan.

An aerial photo of some of the hundreds of NSW homes destroyed in the October bushfires.

Meantime, Australia’s new Prime Minister Abbott, talking through his hat, has dismissed any link between climate change and the NSW bushfires as “complete hogwash.”

Long-time readers of this blog may recall that FIRE-EARTH climate-related models forecast the extent of damage caused by Victoria’s February 2009 bushfires with great accuracy.

Related Links

• Costs of Back-to-back Disasters in Australia Continue to Mount October 22, 2013
• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast (2011)
• More Australian Coal, Anyone? Posted on January 31, 2011
• State of Emergency Declared in NSW amid Firestorm October 20, 2013
• Australia Declares Emergency as NSW Bushfires Destroy “Hundreds of Homes” October 17, 2013
• Thousands Evacuated due to Bushfires in NSW September 10, 2013
• Australia: Entombed by a ‘dome of heat’ January 8, 2013
• Australia’s Runaway Bushfires Threaten Lives and Property
• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Australia on Fire: Tasmania Burning

Final Eviction Notice to Australians?

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,139 Days Left 

[January 28, 2013] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,139 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 …

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

You’ve overstayed your welcome!

Forced evacuations of about 5,000 people are under way in flood-hit city of Bundaberg (pop: ~ 72,000), with authorities warning people could die if they stay.

Severe flooding continues to bury large areas in Queensland, destroying or damaging thousands of properties and forcing mass evacuation of residents in the city of Bundaberg.

Queensland flood map. Source: Bureau of Meteorology

• Floodwater is surging through some parts of the city at  a speed of about 40 knots (~ 75kmh).
• “The velocity of the water, and the rises in the water levels, means that literally houses, particularly in north Bundaberg, and maybe other locations, could be swept away,” said Queensland premier.
• “The communities of Gympie and Maryborough are flooding, Gladstone had suffered severe flooding downstream from Awoonga dam, and Rockhampton was braced for a significant flood from this weekend.”

• The storm is heading to NSW, while floodwaters threaten two major cities of Brisbane and Sydney.

• Earlier this months hundreds of fires in New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria burnt more than 750,000 hectares of the state, destroying dozens of properties and forcing the government to declare disaster in at least 43 local government areas.

Meantime, the Australian PM, who was visiting bushfire-ravaged states of Victoria and NSW, said: 

• “Whether it’s bushfires, whether it’s floods we are being challenged by nature…”
• “Across Queensland the wild weather has broken a lot of hearts. It’s a very tough period…”

• “To those right now, in the grip of this disaster, I say to you: `You are not alone’. This state and its people will rise to the challenge I am supremely confident of that.” Ms. Gillard said.

• “We’ll do whatever we can to protect you, in some cases to rescue you, and to do everything to stand by you in the days, weeks and months ahead. Together we will get through this.”

Challenged by nature? We beg to differ!

We believe you have overstayed your welcome, as far as Mother Nature is concerned.

In the words of Queensland police commissioner:  “Do not wait. Move now. Yr life depends on it.”

• Back-to-back Australian Disasters [index page]

• Wild storms hit Canberra
• Floods likely to isolate hundreds in NSW
• Brisbane expected to flood
• LARGE, out-of-control bushfire continues to threaten homes on the outskirts of the central Victorian community of Violet Town.
• Mass evacuation under way in Qld city

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

Hurricane SANDY Causes Much Destruction in Cuba

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,233 Days Left 

[October 26, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. 

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,233 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

SANDY leaves at least two dozen people dead across the Caribbean

The deadly hurricane slammed into Cuba with 180kph winds, leaving behind a trail of destruction.

Santiago de Cuba, the country’s second largest city, took a direct hit from the Cat 3A hurricane, when the storm landed  early Thursday morning.

Hurricane SANDY

Hurricane SANDY Slamming into the Bahamas afetr leaving behind a deadly trail of destruction in Jamaica and Cuba. IR Sat Image (NHC Enhancement)  sourced from CIMSS.

• “Everything is destroyed in Santiago [located about 470 miles SE of Havana; population of >500,000.] People are going to have to work very hard to recover,” a resident of the city, told Reuters.
• The deadly hurricane has reportedly destroyed or damaged many of the city’s 300,000 homes.
• A local TV reporter has described Santiago de Cuba as “a city without trees” after so many were uprooted by SANDY.
• As of 3:00am EDT, SANDY had claimed at least two dozen lives across the Caribbean.
• The hurricane could land along the Mid-Atlantic coast next week.
• Hurricane warnings, storm warnings and watches are in effect along the entire east coast of Florida and Mid-Atlantic coast, as of posting ( Updated Friday @ 9:30UTC ).

SANDY Leaves Battered Bahamas

Hurricane SANDY leaving the Bahamas after battering the islands. IR Sat Image sourced from CIMSS.

Australia

Far western portion of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has been declared a disaster area after bushfires scorched 25,000 hectares of land  in less than a week, a report said.

Myanmar

State of Emergency has been declared  by the Myanmar government after five days of deadly violence between the Buddhists majority and Rohingya people, which have left about 100 dead and thousands of homes burned.

• This week’s clashed are said to be the worst since violence flared up in June, which left at least 80 people dead and up to a 100,000 forced out of their homes, after an alleged rape.
• Myanmar’s estimated 800,000 Rohingya, who are officially stateless, are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world, according to the U.N.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!

Perth Palatial Homes Consumed by Fire

TWIN BUSHFIRES HIT W. AUSTRALIA

Raging Blaze Destroys Scores of Palatial Homes in Upmarket Suburbs of Perth

UPDATE: ‘Sixty-four homes have now been razed in the bush-fringed Perth suburbs of Kelmscott and Roleystone, while 32 others have been damaged.’

At least 59 homes have been destroyed and scores more are damaged as massive wildfires leave trails of destruction in the SE and NE Perth suburbs of Roleystone and Red Hill.

West Australian Premier has declared the fire-ravaged areas of  Roleystone, Kelmscott and Red Hill as “natural disaster areas.”

“Residents have been forced to flee with just the clothes on their backs as a flaming “war zone” descended on their homes,” a report said.

The fire has already consumed about eight thousand hectares including an area of a national park, and several farms.

The blaze was started by lightning, according to reports, and has been fanned by 70kmph easterlies.

“Gusty winds were today still causing authorities headaches across the entire southwest of the state, with fire fighters in Bunbury, Albany and various regional areas both north and south of Perth battling complex and complicated fire fronts.” Source

Image of the Day:

The raging blaze has destroyed dozens of palatial houses. Photo: Channel Ten via SMH

Meanwhile in Queensland…

About 75 percent of the state of Queensland has been declared a disaster area “after Cyclone Yasi compounded the damage left by recent widespread flooding,” a report said.

Click below for more photos:

• ABC News Photos
  
• Perth Now
• SMH Gallery

Related News Links:

• Residents flee Western Australia bushfire
• How it unfolded: Twin bushfires in Perth
• Raging Perth bushfire claims more homes

Related Links:

• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast