Over 150 whales have stranded themselves on a remote beach in Tasmania, with authorities attempting to reach the scene to assist the animals.
The mass stranding was reported at Arthur River on the state’s West Coast on Wednesday.
Local resident Jocelyn Flint was one of the first people to arrive at the beach and described the scene as distressing.
“There’s babies. There’s whole families … their eyes are open. They’re looking at me for help,” she told ABC Radio.
“They’re all thrashing around and rolling around as the waves come in, trying to get back out.”
“There’s a little baby here. He’s rolling around. Little fella.”
“Earlier on, they were all crying, the whales … It’s sad.”
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment said that about 136 of the stranded whales are still alive.
A spokesperson said teams were being sent to the remote area to assess the situation and undertake any rescue efforts.
In 2020, 470 long-finned pilot whales beached themselves in nearby Macquarie Harbour in what became the worst mass stranding on record in Australia.
