More than 100 dolphins have died in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest in the past week as the region grapples with a severe drought, and many more could die soon if water temperatures remain high, experts say.

The Mamiraua Institute, a research group of Brazil's Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, said two more dead dolphins were found on Monday in the region around Tefe Lake, which is key for mammals and fish in the area.

Video provided by the institute showed vultures picking at the dolphin carcasses beached on the lakeside.

READ MORE: Award-winning building company collapses, sacks staff

Thousands of fish have also died, local media reported.

Experts believe high water temperatures are the most likely cause of the deaths in the lakes in the region.

Temperatures since last week have exceeded 39 degrees in the Tefe Lake region.

The Brazilian government's Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, which manages conservation areas, said last week it had sent teams of veterinarians and aquatic mammal experts to investigate the deaths.

There had been some 1400 river dolphins in Tefe Lake, said Miriam Marmontel, a researcher from the Mamiraua Institute.

"In one week we have already lost around 120 animals between the two of them, which could represent five per cent to 10 per cent of the population," Marmontel said.

READ MORE: New RBA boss holds rates but worse could be to come

Workers have recovered carcasses of dolphins since last week in a region where dry rivers have impacted impoverished riverside communities and stuck their boats in the sand.

Amazonas Governor Wilson Lima declared a state of emergency due to the drought on Friday.

Nicson Marreira, mayor of Tefe, a city of 60,000 residents, said his government was unable to deliver food directly to some isolated communities because the rivers are dry.

Ayan Fleischmann, the Geospatial coordinator at the Mamirauá Institute, said the drought has had a major impact on the riverside communities in the Amazon region.

"Many communities are becoming isolated, without access to good quality water, without access to the river, which is their main means of transportation," he said.

Fleischmann said water temperatures rose from 32C on Friday to almost 38C on Sunday.

He said they are still determining the cause of the dolphin deaths but that the high temperature remains the main candidate.

Eliu was gunned down in front of a church last year.

Homes in an area devastated by the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20 are under threat again as a blaze burns out of control on the New South Wales South Coast.

As winds and high temperatures fan fires across the state, the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) issued emergency warnings for a bushfire in the Bega Valley area this afternoon, while an early warning for residents near Cessnock was downgraded to a watch and act.

Residents around Bermagui were told to seek shelter.

READ MORE: Man in hospital after allegedly stealing and crashing police van

For the latest emergency information and warnings related to bushfires, you can visit the NSW RFS website.

"An emergency warning is in place for the Bermagui, Cuttagee and Barragga Bay areas due to a large bushfire," the RFS said of the Bega Valley blaze.

"If you are in the Bermagui, Cuttagee or Barragga Bay areas, you are in danger. It is now too late to leave. Seek shelter now inside a solid structure such as a house."

A similar warning had been given to residents of Abernethy and Erlington due to the fire in the Hunter region, but the RFS changed its advice to watch and act at around 5pm.

The Bega Valley bushfire is moving in an easterly direction, fuelled by westerly winds, but forecasts of a southerly change overnight could make containing the blaze difficult for fire crews, although it will bring some respite to the conditions.

RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers warned firefighters are in for a difficult task in the coming hours.

READ MORE: Building company collapses owing $2 million, 50 unfinished homes at risk

"(The southerly change) is supposed to come through in another a fair few hours, I think they're talking about potentially 2am, so that could obviously cause us problems," he told 9News.

"So we'll have firefighters in that area all night to protect residences."

He said evacuation centres were set up, with tourists visiting the region during the current school holidays.

"There's holiday-makers in the area. We don't have exact numbers, but there have been evacuation centres set up," he said.

READ MORE: RBA keeps interest rates on hold as experts warn peak is yet to come

"There's neighbourhood safer places in Bermagui itself, where people can go to if they're concerned.

"We've got more than 20 fire trucks in that area looking after the properties, so we have a lot of resources there, we've got two large air tankers hitting that fire as well.

"So we're doing whatever we can to protect people, but obviously it's going to be a long evening for people in those areas, so they just need to focus on looking after their own safety."

Victoria has also been on alert for natural disasters today, with out-of-control blazes in the Gippsland region and warnings of flash flooding as the cold front that will move towards NSW brings significant rainfall to the state.

Man was dragged along the road for 84m.

Kiwis got a glimpse behind the scenes of the politician’s life each morning.

The poll showed law and order was the biggest issue for Tāmaki voters.

City council has its say as hearings on intensification plans get under way.

Approaches to co-governance and Te Tiriti o Waitangi emerge as key differences.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has kept the nation's interest rates on hold, but experts have warned borrowers not to breathe a sigh of relief yet.

Today the newly appointed RBA Governor Michele Bullock, along with the RBA board, said the nation's official cash rate target would be kept on hold at 4.10 per cent.

October's pause marks the fourth month in a row in which the RBA has kept the cash rate steady, with the central bank again citing the need to see more data before changing the nation's cash rate.

READ MORE: Dire forecast for mortgage holders as hopes interest rates to soon fall dashed

In her maiden monetary statement Bullock said the RBA was closely watching the rate of inflation in Australia, and that more rate hikes may be required.

"Some further tightening of monetary policy may be required to ensure that inflation returns to target in a reasonable timeframe, but that will continue to depend upon the data and the evolving assessment of risks," she said.

"In making its decisions, the Board will continue to pay close attention to developments in the global economy, trends in household spending, and the outlook for inflation and the labour market.

"The Board remains resolute in its determination to return inflation to target and will do what is necessary to achieve that outcome."

Graham Cooke, head of consumer research at Finder, said many experts do not believe that we have seen the peak of the RBA's rate-hiking cycle.

"A fourth consecutive rate hold from the RBA will be welcome news to mortgage holders, many of whom are struggling with higher repayments," he said.

"While homeowners have been given a break, stubborn inflation means we could still see another rate hike before Christmas."

The most recent CPI monthly data showed a modest rise to 5.2 per cent, however the board noted that much of this increase was driven by volatile items such as fuel and produce costs.

READ MORE: Lowe hits out at 'vitriol and clickbait' in final speech

Bilgehan Karabay, Associate Professor of Economics at RMIT University, said today's pause does not mean Australians currently suffering with living costs are in the clear.

"The tight rental market means rental prices will continue to put pressure on inflation," Karabay said.

"In addition, house prices seem to have plateaued, which is due to two effects that offset each other – on the one hand, high interest rates decrease loan applications and curb demand, on the other, high construction costs limit housing supply.

"Markets see the possibility of another rate hike in the US until the end of this year. In addition, rates will stay higher for longer.

"Other economies, including Australia, also face the same risk. The Australian dollar recently depreciated against the US dollar, which could create further inflationary pressures through our imports."

An 80-year-old woman is catching snakes for people in Victoria after living with the reptiles for 12 years.

Lorna King was a wildlife rescuer for 30 years and became a self-taught snake catcher by accident when someone rang her for help and she thought she could help.

She became familiar with snakes when she moved to a home in Townsville in Queensland.

LIVE UPDATES: Emergency warnings for bushfires in two states

"We had snakes in the house always, little pythons and things get up in the beams," King told Melbourne radio station 3AW.

"Our house was high set and I'd be out putting washing on the line under the house and there'd always be eyes looking at me.

"I got used to them because I knew they weren't dangerous.

"The fact that I'm not afraid to touch them is what enables me to catch them."

This experience came in handy when she rescued a black snake from an elderly man's home behind a cabinet along the wall recently.

"I guarantee you, it was about eight-foot long, he was huge," the registered catcher said.

King has caught snakes from Omeo to Sale in Victoria but this remains her most memorable job.

"Poor old man left the door open for his dogs to come in," King said.

"As he was walking down the passageway saw this massive snake coming into house.

READ MORE: Name change for food giant behind Aussie popular cereals

"The poor old darling, he couldn't go back into his house for three days after the snake."

Despite her close encounters with the snake, she has never been attacked by one.

"A lot of people ask me that and they look at me as if I'm lying," she told the radio hosts.

"I would be too frightened to do it again if I'd been bitten."

Unlike many other snake catchers, King doesn't document her call-outs on social media.

"When I can get someone to get a bit of footage for me or take a photo, it's wonderful," she said.

"I very rarely get to do it myself."

https://omny.fm/shows/3aw-breakfast-with-ross-and-john/the-80-year-old-still-working-as-a-snake-catcher/embed?style=Cover