Firefighters have contained Australia’s deadliest wildfire in more than two decades, which killed nine people and left three others missing, officials said today.

Terrified residents had to leap into the sea to escape a raging wildfire that killed at least 10 people in southern Australia.

At least eight people were killed in a wildfire that raced through southern Australia today, forcing terrified residents to leap into the sea to avoid the flames, emergency officials said.