Australian wildfire death toll rises to 200

The update follows the discovery of an additional five bodies in the badly hit township of Kinglake, taking total deaths there to 37, and another three in the flattened hamlet of Marysville, where 39 people are now confirmed dead.

The death toll in the worst wildfires in Australia’s history has risen to 200, police said. “Victoria (state) police believe the provisional fatalities from the 2009 bushfires have climbed from 189 to 200,” a spokesman told AFP.

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The update follows the discovery of an additional five bodies in the badly hit township of Kinglake, taking total deaths there to 37, and another three in the flattened hamlet of Marysville, where 39 people are now confirmed dead.

Another two bodies were found in Strathewen, where 42 people are now believed to have died, and one was discovered at Strath Creek.