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Australia mourns victims of bushfire disaster

22 Feb 2009 00:35:45 GMT
Source: Reuters

MELBOURNE, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Australians turned out in their thousands on Sunday in a national day of mourning for the more than 200 people killed in this month's bushfire disaster.

Bells rang to start the main ceremony at an arena in Melbourne, capital of the disaster-hit state of Victoria, where the mourners were due to be joined by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Princess Anne, representing Queen Elizabeth.

The 90-minute ceremony was being broadcast across Australia, and smaller ceremonies were being held elsewhere in the country.

Police have said 209 people were killed in the fires that swept across Victoria earlier this month, Australia's worst natural disaster in more than a century.

Victoria's state Premier John Brumby said he hoped the ceremonies would "provide some healing".

"This is something that has affected our state's psyche, the nation's psyche more than anything in my lifetime," Brumby told Sky News television.

Several fires were still burning in Victoria, with forecasts of more hot weather on Monday.

Victoria's coroner Jennifer Coate banned clear-up operations in several areas this weekend after new human remains were found.

(Sydney Newsroom +612 6273 2730)

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