Tasmania

Hobart (Australia), Sep 23 (AP/PTI) More pilot whales were found stranded on an Australian coast Wednesday, raising the estimated total to almost 500 in the largest mass stranding ever recorded in the country.

Authorities had already been working to rescue survivors among an estimated 270 whales found Monday on a beach and two sand bars near the remote west coast town of Strahan on the island state of Tasmania.

SYDNEY, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Around 2,500 lightning strikes have ignited dozens of fires across Australia's southern island State of Tasmania on Tuesday, adding to a number of dangerous blazes which crews are already battling.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A commercial pilot is under investigation after falling asleep in the cockpit of a freight plane and overflying his Australian island destination by 46 kilometers (29 miles), officials said Tuesday.