Australia mourns fire victims
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AFP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 23, 2009 00:00
MELBOURNE - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd pledged yesterday that wildfire-scarred Australia would rise from the "ashes of despair," as the blazes that killed more than 200 people threatened to flare again.
Joined by Britain's Princess Anne, Rudd led a national day of mourning in leading a memorial ceremony at Rod Laver Arena to honor those killed in the Feb. 7 disaster in rural Victoria state.
"We rise together in hope from the ashes of despair," Rudd told the ceremony as the Southern Cross constellation featured on the Australian flag was beamed onto the closed roof of the stadium in Melbourne. "You who suffer are not alone," he said at the ceremony, pledging Australia would fly flags at half-mast every February 7 to remember the victims of "Black Saturday."
The memorial coincided with a fresh warning from firefighters that the crisis was not yet over, with more than two dozen communities east of Melbourne warned to be on high alert amid extreme fire conditions. Victoria's Country Fire Authority warned that residents wishing to flee should do so either and in no circumstances attempt a last-minute dash to safety in their cars. Thousands of volunteer firefighters are still battling the blazes that have burned out 450,000 hectares (1.1 million acres).
"We rise together in hope from the ashes of despair," Rudd told the ceremony as the Southern Cross constellation featured on the Australian flag was beamed onto the closed roof of the stadium in Melbourne. "You who suffer are not alone," he said at the ceremony, pledging Australia would fly flags at half-mast every February 7 to remember the victims of "Black Saturday."
The memorial coincided with a fresh warning from firefighters that the crisis was not yet over, with more than two dozen communities east of Melbourne warned to be on high alert amid extreme fire conditions. Victoria's Country Fire Authority warned that residents wishing to flee should do so either and in no circumstances attempt a last-minute dash to safety in their cars. Thousands of volunteer firefighters are still battling the blazes that have burned out 450,000 hectares (1.1 million acres).