At least 69 homes were destroyed after a wildfire tore through Tathra, New South Wales, on Sunday, March 18.

Scores of properties were also damaged in the disaster, according to local news reports. This video shows smoke billowing from the fire as a motorist drove through the town.

Firefighters were forced to go house-to-house to tell residents to evacuate due to poor phone reception in the area, the Daily Telegraph reported. Credit: Avon Perera via Storyful