Get the appDarwin's Smith Street Mall has reopened to the public after police said a reported credible threat this morning was false. Workers had earlier been evacuated from the Darwin Innovation Hub building, and residents were told to avoid the area. He said police take every threat seriously and would respond in force. Police said they would provide a further update later today.
A popular bowling alley in Perth's north has closed indefinitely after a fire broke out on Monday evening. Rosemount Bowl on Fitzgerald Street in North Perth was evacuated, along with the nearby Pot Black and Bloodlines venues. The business said at about 10pm that everyone had left safely and no one was hurt. The fire is not believed to be suspicious and is being managed by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services. A witness claims the blaze started in the kitchen, but this has not been officially confirmed.
Dongara beautician Jemma Woodmore has spearheaded a bushfire preparation day for women after friends called her, unsure what to do during a blaze. Ms Woodmore said women often miss out on firefighting advice in male-dominated spaces, and she has since joined the volunteer fire brigade. Irwin resident Freya Smyth attended the workshop after a 2024 fire came within 300 metres of her home. Local emergency services manager Mick Antony said the event covered evacuation plans, extinguisher use and keeping identification ready. He urged residents to plan escape routes and use the Emergency WA app during fires.
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Get the appMoreton Bay Regional Council has told residents in Burpengary and Burpengary East to prepare to leave due to rising floodwaters. Heavy rain has caused flash flooding across southeast Queensland, with some areas receiving over 200mm in 12 hours. Police confirmed two overnight rescues by members of the public, and dozens of roads have closed. Morayfield State High School closed for normal classes. The Bureau of Meteorology says rain should ease during the afternoon and evening, but wet weather is expected to continue across the region.
Four students at a Sydney high school have been taken to hospital after being affected by chemicals during a science class. A NSW Education Department spokesman said the incident at Airds High School, in Sydney's south, led the school to activate its emergency procedures as a precaution. Five students were assessed by NSW Ambulance, and four were transported to hospital for further assessment. Footage shared on social media shows students leaving the school as fire crews and paramedics responded to a hazardous materials incident. NSW Fire and Rescue has been contacted for comment.
Expeditioners have told the government that evacuating Macquarie Island over bird flu concerns was unnecessary and could increase environmental risks. The federal environment department temporarily removed all 24 expeditioners in August, citing possible psychosocial harm from a potential outbreak of the H5 strain. In a letter, the expeditioners said they were trained to cope and warned that the island's ageing fuel farm could pose a hazard without staff. The department defended the decision, citing a risk assessment, and said H5 bird flu has since been confirmed in an elephant seal and a kelp gull on the island.
State planners have rejected a subdivision proposal at Preston Beach, citing bushfire safety fears. The WA Planning Commission's Statutory Planning Committee voted against the nine-lot plan for Lot 340 Lakeside Terrace on October 7. Fire and health authorities did not support the proposal. They said the townsite is not a suitable evacuation point, and the site lacks reticulated sewerage. The Shire of Waroona backed the plan, but the property owner has urged approval without further delay.
A forest fire on Indonesia's Sumatra island has destroyed nearly 300 homes and forced hundreds of people to evacuate, an official says. Residents first tried to put out the fire in Bangka Belitung province on Saturday using portable water pumps. Winds then shifted and drove the fire into the village, which was built on former peatland. The government says conditions are the worst in a decade, and the fires could continue until November. Wildlife has also been hit, with at least 46 critically endangered orangutans rescued since August.
A bushfire came close to homes in the Geraldton suburb of Strathalbyn on Tuesday morning, forcing Geraldton Christian College to evacuate and close for the day. A bushfire emergency warning was briefly issued for the area before the Department of Fire and Emergency Services downgraded it. Just after 10am, the fire was confirmed extinguished and firefighters had left. Western Power said about 1084 customers lost power due to damaged infrastructure, with power to all but 19 restored by 9am. The cause of the fire was unknown at the time of publication.
Nepali authorities have evacuated residents in north-central Nepal after a flash flood destroyed homes. A dry landslide in Gorkha district blocked the Budhi Gandaki River, causing downstream flooding. Officials say about a dozen houses and two suspension bridges were swept away, and a highway bridge was washed out. Two women and three men were out of contact, though no casualties were immediately reported. The army said 49 people, including a foreigner, had been rescued, and residents in five districts were alerted to the danger.
Flash flooding has swept cars away and caused major damage in Las Condes, a wealthy suburb on the western edge of Santiago, Chile. The government declared a zone of catastrophe after floodwater and mud struck on Thursday, local time. Authorities issued a red alert for at least 10 regional areas, and at least six people were reported injured. Aged care residents, university health clinic staff and clients, and 60 children sheltering at a technical college were evacuated. The Chilean Army deployed vehicles, soldiers and response teams to help with clean-up and rescue efforts.
Dee Why Police Station was evacuated Thursday evening after a member of the public delivered a live military-grade hand grenade. Officers recognised the device's active status and promptly cleared the premises, summoning bomb disposal experts. The bomb squad secured the grenade and determined it posed no immediate threat. Police resumed normal operations within 40 minutes. Investigations are ongoing, with initial findings suggesting the grenade was discovered during a property clean-up and brought to the station inadvertently.
Dee Why Police Station was evacuated on 8 October after a live military-grade hand grenade was handed in by a member of the public. The station was cleared at 6pm and officers from the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit seized the grenade for examination. Police returned to the station about 7.40pm. Initial investigations suggest the grenade was found during a property clean-up and not intended as a threat.