Victoria, NSW bushfires wreak havoc as death toll rises, several missing

There's a 24-hour race against time to get thousands of people away from the NSW South Coast as devastating bushfires ravage the region. 

South Coast residents are queuing for hours to get food and supplies after power was lost to thousands of homes across the region.

Authorities have 24 hours to move the thousands of people stranded in the area who face a humanitarian crisis amid looming horror fire conditions.

A road has been opened north of Batemans Bay to allow stranded holidaymakers to return towards Sydney.

There are 50,000 homes without power and residents have no phone service and are low on fuel.

A further three deaths have been confirmed from the New Year's Eve fires on the South Coast while another man was killed in Victoria's fire-ravaged East Gippsland region.

On the South Coast, a body was found in a vehicle in Yatte Yattah near Lake Conjola, another was found in a vehicle in Sussex Inlet and ambulance officers found a third body in the area.

And in Victoria, a 67-year-old great-grandfather was confirmed dead while more remain missing with military personnel expected to help firefighters in the state's east today. 

Read our blog for all the updates from today.