Australian army rushes to aid of fire-hit towns as death toll increases

SYDNEY (BLOOMBERG) - Australia scrambled its military to help thousands of people stranded in beach-side towns as deadly wildfires continue to sweep through the country's southeast.

Helicopters and navy ships are being sent to the East Gippsland region of Victoria state, where some 4,000 holiday-makers and locals are cut off in the remote township of Mallacoota. Dozens of homes were destroyed when a bushfire tore through the community on Tuesday (Dec 31), forcing people to shelter on the beach or escape by boats.