Bushfires spark inquiry call as funding debate rages
Underfunding has been blamed for the scale of losses from ferocious bushfires but state authorities insist conditions made containment impossible.
emergency planning
‘Mud army’ descends on town as flood clean-up begins
The clean-up has started at a rain-hit town but another is bracing for dangerous flooding as residents cope with the aftermath of ex-Tropical Cyclone Koji.
Thousands without power, roads cut as cyclone hits
Residents in Australia's far north are bracing for torrential rain and flooding as ex-Tropical Cyclone Koji continues its march across the state.
Residents hunker down as cyclone heads for coast
Tropical Cyclone Koji has formed and is threatening to barrel through a region already reeling from heavy flooding.
Extreme heat but no fire emergency yet beyond Victoria
As bushfires rage in Victoria, other parts of Australia's southeast are sweltering amid extreme heat ahead of an expected cooler change.
Hellish bushfire crisis claims homes and livelihoods
Dozens of properties have been destroyed at multiple fire scenes as fire-fighters described confronting scenes of danger and destruction.
Three people missing, homes razed as more fires ignite
Catastrophic bushfire conditions are worsening with fears damaging winds and lightning strikes will add to the dozens of destructive blazes raging in one state.
Flood-hit region braces for devastating cyclonic deluge
As a sodden region prepares for the arrival of a tropical cyclone, flood-ravaged graziers are bracing for the deluge to come as they count stock losses.
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weather news
Damaging winds warning as cold front brings heat relief
A gusty southerly change is bringing the first relief to heatwave-affected areas, but communities are warned about the threat of damaging winds and lightning.
Bushfire menace mounts as thousands brace for disaster
Residents are being urged to flee their homes ahead of a catastrophic fire day expected to bring "unsurvivable" conditions not seen in six years.
Bushfire peril as heatwave advances across the nation
Bushfires have ignited on the first day of some of the worst heatwave conditions since Black Summer and authorities warn more is to come.
Australians feel the heat as bushfire threat flares up
Authorities are warning people to be on high alert as several states prepare for intense heatwave conditions not seen since the Black Summer bushfires.
Snow and a heatwave as four seasons greet Christmas Day
Two capital cities can expect ideal weather for Christmas Day, while the rest must contend with conditions ranging from snow to a dangerous heatwave.
Hot and cold: diverging weather risks fires starting
Hot conditions in the west and stormy weather impacting the east of Australia is putting a strain on firefighters battling bushfires.
Cover-up claims as triple zero-linked death revealed
Another death linked to triple-zero failures just days after Optus' major outage was not publicly disclosed at the time, sparking accusations of a cover-up.
Dozen homes destroyed in town by fast-moving bushfire
A fast-moving bushfire has destroyed at least a dozen homes in one town as more than 1000 firefighters tackled a host of blazes in extreme heatwave conditions.
Jetstar flights resume after software issue resolved
Jetstar flights have resumed across Australia after the airline resolved a software issue but a separate passport system outage has also caused delays.
Grounded Jetstar planes returning but delays expected
Jetstar planes are gradually coming back online as engineers rush to fix a software issue that has aircraft and caused travel delays.
Rough night for Top Enders riding out damaging cyclone
Top End residents have hunkered down for the first cyclone of the season, as they are warned to expect damaging winds and possible flooding.
Locals prepare as first cyclone of season bears down
Top End residents are preparing for heavy downpours and destructive winds as the first cyclone of the season approaches, prompting an offer of federal support.
Cyclone shelter and flood levee boost in disaster plan
Projects including a cyclone shelter and flood levees are part of a $1 billion funding plan to build Australia's disaster readiness and resilience.
One million flee as super typhoon threatens Philippines
One million people are being evacuated as the Philippines braces for another super typhoon, days after Typhoon Kalmaegi battered the country.
Snap heatwave breaks records as winds wreak havoc
Temperature records have tumbled in two states, as millions of people swelter through record highs and destructive winds threaten property damage.
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telecommunication service
‘Scapegoating’ Optus blames tech, staff for outages
Optus has blamed technical equipment and human error for two emergency call outages as the prime minister pans the telco for its "unacceptable" failures.
Super Typhoon Ragasa batters HK, kills dozens in Taiwan
Typhoon Ragasa has made landfall in southern China, where nearly two million people have been evacuated.
Massive Russia quake sends tsunami waves across Pacific
French Polynesia is on tsunami alert hours after a powerful earthquake struck Russia's far east, sparking alerts and evacuations across the Pacific.
Grim milestone as rescuers search for US flood victims
More than 100 people are confirmed dead as rescuers continue the search for missing people after catastrophic flooding in Texas.
Major dam to likely spill as ‘bomb cyclone’ hits coast
As millions of residents brace for a fast-moving, severe low-pressure system to hit their region, a massive dam is nearly full and could spill in coming days.
Millions brace for ‘cyclogenesis’ impact on east coast
People already reeling from floods are on high alert as a storm intensifies and is expected to dump up to 200mm of rain on parts of the east coast.
Floods strand 48,000 people amid flurry of roof rescues
A one-in-500-year flood has isolated tens of thousands of people, with disaster support announced and more helicopters helping to rescue residents from roofs.
Good Friday as cyclone crosses coast as a tropical low
Remote coastal communities have escaped the worst of a cyclone after it crossed Australia's northwest coast as a weakened tropical low.