Australian PM pledges to rebuild fire-devastated communities

CANBERRA. February 9. KAZINFORM Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd pledged on Monday to rebuild communities devastated by the Victorian bushfires but warned the reconstruction may take one or two years to complete.

Rudd told the Seven Network that the army had been deployed to help with the task of reconstruction and the nation needed to brace itself for more losses; Kazinform refers to Xinhuanet. "These numbers are numbing in terms of those who have lost their lives and I fear they will rise further," he said. The prime minister said the challenge for the nation "is not just to extend the hand of friendship and support - and that is so necessary as people deal with the pure physical and psychological trauma of having been through hell - but it's also now action." "That's why we have deployed the army, that's why we will be deploying every possible resource, the federal government in partnership with the state government, to deal with what is still an unfolding crisis," he added. He also warned that the rebuilding of the communities was not an easy task. "It's not just the next day or two, it's the next year or two, the rebuilding of these communities." One hundred and eight people are confirmed dead Monday morning in the worst bushfires in the country, after more bodies were found in the burnt-out towns of Kinglake West and Marysville. The federal government has committed 10 million in assistance to victims of the disaster, and millions of donations from the country were also pouring in to help the fire devastated people and areas.