Wildfires destroy dozens of homes

0 Debris from a destroyed home in the town of Tathra, on the coast of New South Wales Wildfires have razed dozens of homes in south-east Australia, cut power to thousands more and killed livestock.

Most of the weekend blazes had been contained by yesterday and there have been no reports of serious injury, officials said.

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 woods around midday on Sunday, Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.

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

Some of Tathra’s evacuated residents were due to return to their homes yesterday, as emergency workers restore power.