Fire threat high despite cool relief as states swelter
Temperatures are starting to ease after a blast of heat sent the mercury soaring past 45C in parts of Victoria, NSW, Queensland and South Australia.
disaster and accident
Holiday mode: Storm warning ahead of festive season
Research shows nearly three-quarters of Australians don't plan or properly protect their homes from potential storm damage before leaving on summer holidays.
‘Mayhem’: Woman injured after tourism hot spot blasts
An electrical fault may have caused a number of underground explosions on the Gold Coast which injured a young woman after she fell into a manhole.
Couple stalked by giant crocodile after car washed away
A missing couple has spent two terrifying nights being stalked by a giant crocodile after their car was swept away in floodwaters.
Flash flooding, rescues after major storms
A torrent of rain fell within an hour, turning roads into rivers, submerging cars and trapping drivers who tried to cross floodwaters during sudden storms.
‘We can’t buy rain’: drought taking a toll on farmers
The dams are empty, the crops are struggling and the livestock are hungry, as farmers in southern Australia live through one of the driest seasons in memory.
NZ Navy report finds Manawanui sinking ‘human error’
Human error was behind the sinking of New Zealand Navy vessel Manawanui, which crashed into a Samoan reef in October.
Map reveals Australian hotspots at risk of bushfire
Cyclones, floods, heatwaves and bushfires - authorities are warning large parts of Australia are at increased risk this summer and people need to be prepared.
Four bodies recovered from Egypt capsized tourist boat
Four bodies have been recovered and five more people have been rescued after a tourist boat capsized off Egypt's Red Sea coast.
Sixteen missing as tourist yacht sinks off Egypt
Egyptian officials say at least 16 people are missing while 28 others have been rescued after a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea.
Tired helicopter crews ‘didn’t want’ to let team down
A probe into a fatal Taipan army helicopter crash has been told aircrew didn't want to let their team down by pulling out of exercises when tired.
Home lost, people told to flee Great Ocean Road towns
Tourists have been evacuated and people in Great Ocean Road towns have been told to leave immediately as Victoria's bushfire emergency claims at least one home.
At least one ‘severe’ cyclone tipped to hit Queensland
Forecasters say it will be an average cyclone season with at least one to hit Queensland, but the severity of the storm system may be higher than usual.
Suspected bomber dead after Brazil Supreme Court blasts
Two explosions outside Brazil's Supreme Court have killed at least one person, with police at the scene investigating.
Bouncy castle safety warning ahead of summer fun
Bouncy castles and other inflatables aren't always properly anchored, putting children's safety at risk, a workplace safety watchdog has warned.
Two prospectors found dead in remote bushland
Two people who went prospecting in remote Queensland have been found dead after a search involving mustering helicopters and police on motorbikes and horses.
Truck driver charged after mother, son killed in crash
A truck driver has been charged over a crash that killed two people and injured two others on a notorious highway in Queensland.
Dozens killed in China as driver ploughs into crowd
Police have arrested a man who rammed a car into people exercising at a sports centre in southern China, killing 35 people and injuring 43 others.
Anxious wait for town as bushfire fight continues
A bushfire that has destroyed a home and damaged rail lines is slowly moving towards a remote town despite the tireless efforts of fire crews.
Country town in sights after fire burns home, bridge
A bushfire is heading towards a north Queensland town after burning for days and destroying a home, prompting a "prepare to leave" warning.
Probe into Qantas ‘loud bang’ engine fail, runway fire
Passengers heard a loud bang as a Qantas jet suffered engine failure on take-off, sparking a grass fire, emergency landing and hours of chaos at Sydney Airport.
Community rallies to combat blaze, families return home
Families are returning to their homes after a bushfire forced them to flee before a community rallied to help combat the blaze in Queensland's southwest.
Residents told stay away as fire burns out of control
Hundreds of residents who evacuated their Queensland town are being told it's unsafe to return as firefighters battle to contain a bushfire threatening homes.
More troops head to Spain flood zone as anger mounts
Thousands more soldiers are joining search and recovery efforts in eastern Spain as officials trade blame and local anger rises over the historic disaster.
Woman attacked by shark saved by boat crew’s first aid
A woman bitten by a shark while snorkelling has avoided serious consequences thanks to the first aid provided by a boat's crew.
Search for bodies after flood claims 95 lives in Spain
Dozens of Spanish towns look as if they've been hit by a tsunami after monstrous flash floods killed at least 95 people and left an unknown number missing.
Dozens die in devastating flash floods in Spain
At least 62 people have been killed in the deadliest flooding to hit Spain for decades after torrential rain left roads and towns in the east under water.
Flash floods in Spain kill more than 50 people
Flash floods that swept the Spanish region of Valencia have killed least 52 people as torrential rains left roads and towns under water.
‘Tragic accident’: boy dies as car crashes into school
A boy has been killed and four other children seriously injured after a woman collecting a child crashed through a fence and into a Melbourne school.
Dire warning on Australia’s disaster response readiness
Australia's emergency response system is in need of widespread reform if the nation is to keep up with the growing threat of natural disasters.
Family mourns couple killed by truck crash into home
A farming couple killed when a truck crashed into a home would want their community to keep working to make the world a better place, their family says.