More than 4,000 people were trapped on a beach by advancing fires in southeast Australia on Tuesday as devastating blazes encircled the seaside town of Mallacoota, where sea or airborne evacuation was being planned, Eurasia Diary reports citing Deutsche Welle.
"Mallacoota is under attack, it is pitch black and very scary," Victoria's Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said. "We have 4,000 people on the beach and nearby who are protected by our firefighters."
Some people took boats out at sea for fear that the fire would grow closer to the beach.
Authorities have been warning tens of thousands of holidaymakers to leave popular seaside towns for days and seek shelter elsewhere.
"We're naturally very concerned about communities that have become isolated," Crisp said. He also confirmed "significant" property losses across the area.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said there were plans to evacuate those trapped on the seaside by boat. There was also concern about four people missing. "We can't confirm their whereabouts," he said.
Fires are raging across many parts of the country, after 100,000 people were evacuated from the suburbs of Melbourne on Monday.
Massive fire fronts continue to blaze across other states. Sixteen "emergency fires" were designated in New South Wales and Victoria on Tuesday.