Australia bushfires: Military ships deployed to evacuate thousands trapped

Australian authorities have deployed military and navy to evacuate tens of thousands of people stranded on popular seaside towns of the east coast. The east coast seaside towns are known for being a tourist hotspot and the recent bushfires have forced both the holidaymakers and residents to flee the region. According to authorities, more than 200 bushfires are active across the southeastern states of New South Wales and Victoria.  

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Australia's deadliest bushfires

The evacuation had to be ordered on Wednesday as the bushfires in the region were rapidly advancing. Thousands of people are still stranded on the beachfront since New Year's Eve. Authorities have launched a rescue operation as they deployed five military helicopters and two naval ships. One of the ships was headed for the coastal town of Mallacoota in Victoria, where around 4,000 people have been trapped. There is only one road that takes you in and out of Mallacoota, but it remains shut for several weeks now. 

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Long queues were formed outside supermarkets and petrol stations as people were buying supplies to either bunker down or escape before shops and gas stations ran out of stocks. The navy rescue team will carry 1.6 tonnes of water and paramedics, officials said. The state fire department said that they are not being able to identify how many homes have been destroyed as smoke was hampering their efforts. Temperatures in Australia have risen rapidly as mercury on south coast recorded 40 degrees Celcius on Saturday. 

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About 12.35 million acres of land have burned nationwide over the past few months, with 17 people confirmed dead and more than 1,000 homes destroyed, according to international media reports. It's not just properties and humans that are affected, the recent bushfires have extensively damaged the ecology of wildlife across Australia. Experts from the University of Sydney fear around 480 million animals, including 8,000 koalas have been killed in the blaze.

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