What we learned today, 11 January 2025
With that, we’re wrapping up the blog. Before we go, here are the major stories from Sunday:
Tropical Cyclone Koji made landfall in far north Queensland early on Sunday before being downgraded to an ex-tropical cyclone. Flash flooding and heavy rains are expected.
Harcourt residents were told not to drink tap water over contamination fears.
Victorian authorities have warned the bushfires could burn for “weeks” as firefighters on the ground have faced another difficult day.
The Victorian bushfires have compromised air quality across the state with those sensitive to smoke advised to take precautions.
Multiple warnings were issued along the Victorian-New South Wales border after the Walwa fire spread north into New South Wales.
A family of three and their cat “Bubba” have been airlifted to safety after their home in the far north of Victoria was destroyed by fire.
Ten major fires have continued to burn across Victoria with 32 active blazes in the state.
Victorian authorities have asked people not to engage in “dark tourism” by visiting active firegrounds.
A mother and two children have survived after escaping their car when they followed Google maps into a road submerged in flood waters.
We’ll pick things up again tomorrow.
Updated
Human remains found as fires continue to burn across Victoria
Human remains have been found in the Longwood bushfire area, marking the first death believed to have been caused by the bushfires.
Victorian police confirmed the tragic find in a short statement released late on Sunday afternoon.
It said the remains were found 100m from a vehicle after police were able to access a fire-affected stretch off Yarck Road in Gobur this afternoon.
The person has yet to be formally identified and police are preparing a report for the coroner.
Updated
