SYDNEY, July 20: Buildings were razed as hundreds of unfortunate asylum-seekers escaped detention during riots at an Australian refugee facility on Nauru, witnesses said on Saturday, following the launch of a hardline immigration crackdown.

Australia announced on Friday that boat people would no longer be resettled in the country and all future unauthorised arrivals would be sent to poverty-stricken Papua New Guinea for permanent resettlement.

No reason has been given by the Australian government that what compelled asylum-seekers to protest.

The riots on Friday night saw detainees take control of the immigration processing centre on the remote Pacific atoll of Nauru and arm themselves with makeshift weapons.

Nearly half of the facility’s 545 asylum-seekers escaped and a number of buildings were set alight, according to local photographer Clint Deidenang.

“Today was history. The biggest riot ever to be staged on Nauru soil. The most violence I’ve seen. Amazing support from local(s) to the police,” said Mr Deidenang, estimating that 95 per cent of the centre’s buildings had been razed.

The asylum-seekers abandoned their four-hour protest after a huge group of locals descended on the centre armed with pipes and machetes to help authorities contain the violence in response to a government call for assistance, he added. Four detainees had been hospitalised with minor injuries and no staff were hurt.—AFP