Australia, New Zealand Shocked by London Bombings

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has expressed his "horror and disgust" at the wave of bombings in London, ABC News Online reported last night. At 4am today, July 8, Australian eastern standard time, at least 37 had been confirmed dead, with hundreds more injured, in what is seen as a wave of terrorist attacks on London's transport system.

At 4.30pm Australian eastern standard time, the casualty toll was reported as 52 dead and 700 injured, including eight Australians.

In Sydney, TV channels 2 and 9 were reporting on the London events throughout the night and thousands of Sydneysiders were glued to their TV sets overnight.

According to the Sydney Daily Telegraph, five Australians had been hospitalised after being caught up in the terrorist bomb blasts in London.

In New Zealand, the New Zealand Herald reported that Prime Minister Helen Clark had conveyed the sympathy and deep concern of the government and people of New Zealand to the office of British Prime Minister Tony Blair. She had been in direct contact with the New Zealand High Commission in London after the blasts and said last night there were no reports of New Zealand casualties.

London reports.