Hundreds of deadly animals wash up on popular beach

Visitors to a popular Sydney beach have come across a disturbing sight washed up in the sand.

Beaches on Sydney’s east coast are being swamped with bluebottle jellyfish after heavy rainfall hit the city.

Pictures taken at Coogee on Thursday showed the bluebottles covering huge areas of the sand, while a video showed thousands of the unwanted visitors scattered across the shoreline.

It comes as torrential weather and storms hit the east coast of Australia, causing huge surf.

Thousands of bluebottles are seen on Sydney's Coogee Beach with the colourful yet dangerous creatures littering beaches as storms swell across the Australian east coast. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

The little blue critters are still capable of stinging even after death. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

People are urged not to touch them. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

Residents in the area are warned that although the jellyfish are dead, stings from the blue bottles can still be incredibly painful.

Pets must also be kept away from them as even detached harpoon like tentacles can cause damage.

The stinging cells of a blue bottle jellyfish are independent of the rest of the animal, so the easiest way to avoid being injured by them is to avoid the area altogether.

While they can be tempting to “pop,” people are discouraged from doing so.

The best treatment for a blue bottle sting is to rinse the area well with seawater and treat stung area with ice or heat to reduce pain.

They’re lining the beach at Coogee, NSW. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar