Australian Temperature Records Fall In Blistering Heatwave [View All]

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Australia is enduring one of the worst heat waves on record, and we may have to get used to it. In places, the mercury has soared towards 50C and people - and animals - are taking desperate measures to escape the heat.

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At Dubbo's Western Plains Zoo yesterday, as it neared 40 degrees, the lions cooled off with iceblocks made from special cat's milk, 300 millilitres of water, 100 grams of beef, and blood. "They love them . . . there is just an essence of blood to give them a scent," said the zoo's Trish Crisante. At the top of the food chain, as humans powered up their air conditioners, eastern Australia set a record for electricity use yesterday. NSW's Energy Minister, Frank Sartor, appealed to people to curb consumption to avoid possible power restrictions and cuts.

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The mercury hit 48.5 at Ivanhoe on Sunday, shattering a NSW record set only the day before. On Saturday, Pooncarie, on the Darling, reached 47.6. The previous record was 47.2 and Mr Trewin said: "When you are looking at 100 years of records across a state, to break a record by more than a degree is pretty significant."

Today, Sydney faces a maximum of 32 in the city, 39 at Penrith and 38 at Richmond."

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http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/20/1077072840341.html