Australia news live: major flood in Gunnedah as SES issues warnings for central coast; police reveal Gaza march fears
Date: 2025-08-03T21:33:32.000Z
Title: Good morning
Content: and happy Monday. Nick Visser here to take you through the first of this week's news. Here's what's on deck:
The NSW State Emergency Service has issued multiple Watch and Act warnings for flooding in the lower Hunter, with large parts of Newcastle urged to heed guidance. There was major flooding in Gunnedah near Tamworth last night.
NSW police said the organisers of the pro-Palestine march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge were 'very cordial' during the lead-up to yesterday's event. But they said they were deeply concerned about a crowd crush and the sheer number of people who showed up, prompting the march's cancellation midway through. No injuries or arrests have been reported.
The Logies have been awarded, with Magda Szubanski inducted into the Hall of Fame and soap star Lynne McGranger winning gold for her long run on Home and Away.
Stick with us.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Tourists evacuated as France continues to battle biggest wildfire since 1949
Firefighters are battling for a third day to contain France 's biggest wildfire in nearly eight decades, which has burnt over 16,000 hectares, killed one person and destroyed dozens of houses. One person has died, three are missing and two people including a firefighter are in critical condition, local authorities said. Images showed plumes of smoke rising over the forest area in the region of Aude in southern France. "As of now, the fire has not been brought under control," Christophe Magny, one of the officials leading the firefighting operation, told BFM TV. He added that he hoped the blaze could be contained later in the day. The blaze, around 100 km from the border with Spain, not far from the Mediterranean Sea, began on Tuesday and has spread rapidly. It has already swept through an area one-and-a-half times bigger than Paris. Officials have said it is France's biggest wildfire since 1949. The fire is now advancing more slowly, Environment Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told France Info radio. Villagers sought to help douse the flames or save their homes and small businesses, and described their alarm at the fire's speed. Ash filled the air and coated windows and cars, and several roads were closed around the region. "The sky was blue, and then less than an hour later the sky was orange," said Andy Pickup of Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, at the heart of the fire zone. "That's when we went out and tried to help." "We heard pops and cracks — it was the trees, it was the village," he told The Associated Press. "We could see the fires taking hold on all the hills around Saint-Laurent." At dusk, he said, they saw fires in every direction, some as near as 100 meters (yards) away. Three people were missing, the prefecture said. A map of the area. Jacques Piraux, mayor of the village of Jonquières, said all residents have been evacuated. "It's a scene of sadness and desolation," he told broadcaster BFM TV after visiting there on Wednesday morning. "It looks like a lunar landscape, everything is burned. More than half or three-quarters of the village has burned down. It's hellish." Residents and tourists in nearby areas were requested to remain in their homes unless told to evacuate. Two campgrounds were evacuated as a precaution.T he prime minister met Wednesday afternoon with firefighters and residents at Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, where the fire service's command post has been set up. He said he came to express "national solidarity. "The area's economy is relying on winery and tourism and "both sectors are affected," he stressed. Bayrou said an investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the fire. ''We've lived here for 10 years and we've seen nothing like that," Pickup said. ''Consistently the summers are getting hotter, there is less and less rain, and that is a major problem."''We have been told the wind might come stronger tomorrow," he added. Scientists say the Mediterranean region's hotter, drier summers put it at high risk of wildfires. France's weather office has warned of a new heatwave starting in other parts of southern France on Friday and due to last several days.
Times
4 hours ago
- Times
France wildfires: woman dies and thousands flee destruction in Aude
F rench firefighters were battling on Thursday to contain the country's biggest wildfire in several decades. The blaze in southern France has burnt more than 16,000 hectares, killed one person and forced thousands of residents to flee. 'The fire has not been brought under control,' Christophe Magny, one of the officials leading the firefighting operation, told BFM TV on Thursday. Since Tuesday the fire, in the southern department of Aude, has swept through an area bigger than Paris. Officials have said it is France's biggest wildfire since 1949. Scientists say the Mediterranean region's hotter, drier summers put it at high risk of wildfires. On Wednesday 2,000 firefighters tackled the blaze with the help of water-bombing aircraft, but officials said it was still out of control and spreading fast.
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Firefighters in France tackle huge wildfire
Thousands of firefighters are continuing to tackle wildfires in southern and tourists have been moved to safety and roads in the area have been closed. French President Emmanuel Macron promised the country would do everything it can to help those affected and called on people to show "the utmost caution", while Prime Minister François Bayrou has visitied the say the fire could burn for several more days due to rising temperatures and strong thought to be the country's worst wildfires in almost 80 years. What's the latest? Nearly 2,000 firefighters are trying to bring it under control, with help from dozens of aircraft that are dropping hige amounts of water on the flames, trying to put it out or slow it fire started on Tuesday near the village of La Ribaute in the Aude region, and has already burned more than 15,000 hectares (58 sq miles) - an area larger than Paris. Officials said the fire spread quickly, due to strong winds, dry vegetation and hot summer and tourists have been moved to safety and temporary accommodation sites have been opened across the 2,500 homes in the area are currently without electricity, and people living as far as 30km (18 miles) away from the fire have reported feeling its say the Mediterranean region's hotter, drier summers put it at high risk of wildfires.
