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Heat Wave

Feb 02, 2009

Parts of Australia are used to hot weather, but recent temperatures have been soaring and causing chaos across the country.

The heat wave forced the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne to suspend lots of matches because the players couldn't cope with the heat. Tennis officials had to close the retractable roof over the main stadium.

It's not just the tennis players who have been affected; the heat wave has caused bush fires across the country. Two houses were engulfed in flames in southern Australia, and more than 140,000 homes have been left without power.


Thousands of firefighters are on standby, and health officials are telling people to stay indoors, use air conditioners and make sure they drink enough water.


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