Australian wildfires raze dozens of homes, kill livestock

Debris from a destroyed home lays on the ground in town of Tathra, Australia on Monday, March 19, 2018, following a wildfire. More than 70 homes and businesses had been severely damaged or destroyed by a fire that started in woods around midday on Sunday. (Dean Lewins/AAP Image via AP)

CANBERRA, Australia – The weekend wildfires razed dozens of homes, cut power to thousands more, and killed livestock in southeast Australia.

But most of the blazes had been contained by Monday, and officials said there have been no reports of serious injury among those affected.

The worst-hit town was Tathra on the south coast of New South Wales state where more than 70 homes and businesses had been severely damaged or destroyed by a fire that started in the woods around midday on Sunday, Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.

In neighboring state of Victoria, up to 18 homes had been destroyed over the weekend by three fires while 40,000 homes lost power, Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said.

Sheep and cattle losses had yet to be assessed.

Some of Tathra’s evacuated residents would be able to return to their homes on Monday, as emergency workers restore power to the devastated area, Fitzsimmons said.                  /kga