Locals Form Human Chain To Help Deliver Much Needed Supplies In Mallacoota

Help has finally arrived on Victoria's southeast coast, where thousands of people had to evacuate to a beach to escape a raging bushfire.

People in Mallacoota have been stranded on the water's edge since New Year's Eve and they've finally received help from the Australian military.

Videos from the scene show people forming a human chain to get much needed supplies like water off boats as quickly as possible.

HMAS Choules was anchored offshore this morning and work is underway to get the most vulnerable onboard so they can be transported to safety. The massive Navy ship won't be able to take everyone at once so officials are now trying to work out who goes.

According to Channel 9, the large ship will only be able to get 1,000 people out per trip.

The voyage could take anywhere between 16 to 20 hours, depending on weather and destination. People have been told they can only bring baggage onboard and everything else must stay. Thankfully pets are included.

Officials have announced one person has been confirmed dead in Victoria's East Gippsland fires and a further 17 remain unaccounted for. Premier Daniel Andrews said work is underway to ascertain the whereabouts of those missing people.

"We do hold very significant fears for the welfare of anybody who is missing at this time," he said.

Nearly three quarters of a million hectares of land has been burned in that area alone, causing dozens of homes and properties to be destroyed and power in the region to be knocked out.

7News says it could take several days for the Navy to evacuate every last person from Mallacoota.

Premier Andrews added to the ABC: "This is no simple task and it needs to be done properly with safety as the paramount issue, but we will get some people out of Mallacoota today, we believe."

There were shocking scenes on New Year's Eve when much of the area was coated in a thick smoke that blocked out the sun. It wasn't until 10am until the sky was turned from ominous pitch black to apocalyptic red.

Many donned lifejackets in case the order was given to wade into the sea to avoid the raging inferno.

Locals described the horror of hearing the massive blaze get closer, explode gas bottles and tear down homes.

Topics: News, Bushfires, Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

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