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The UN Human Rights Office says it has received "credible information" that a crackdown Sunday on anti-coup protesters in Myanmar has left at least 18 people dead and over 30 wounded.

"Deaths reportedly occurred as a result of live ammunition fired into crowds in Yangon, Dawei, Mandalay, Myeik, Bago and Pokokku," it said in a statement, referring to several cities in Myanmar.

"Tear gas was also reportedly used in various locations as well as flash-bang and stun grenades."

READ MORE: Facebook to block advertising from military-linked businesses

"We strongly condemn the escalating violence against protests in Myanmar and call on the military to immediately halt the use of force against peaceful protesters," its spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani was quoted saying.

It would be the highest single-day death toll among protesters who are demanding that the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi be restored to power after being ousted by a February 1 coup.

Military intensifies bid to halt protests

Earlier it was already being reported that security forces in Myanmar had made mass arrests and used lethal force on as they intensified their efforts to break up protests.

Police in Yangon, the country's biggest city, fired tear gas and water cannons while trying to clear the streets of demonstrators demanding that the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi be restored to power. Photos of shell casings from live ammunition used in assault rifles were posted on social media.

Reports on social media identified by name one young man believed to have been killed in Yangon. His body was shown in photos and videos lying on a sidewalk until other protesters were able to carry him away.

READ MORE: How and why are the Myanmar protests being organised?

A violent crackdown also occurred in Dawei, a much smaller city in southeastern Myanmar, where local media reported that at least three people were killed during a protest march. The fatalities could not immediately be independently confirmed, though photos posted on social media showed a wounded man in the care of medical personnel, and later laid out in a bed under a blanket with flowers placed on top.

Confirming reports of protesters' deaths has been difficult amid the chaos and general lack of news from official sources.

Prior to Sunday, there had been eight confirmed reports of killings linked to the army's takeover, according to the independent Assistance Association of Political Prisoners.

The February 1 coup reversed years of slow progress toward democracy after five decades of military rule. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party would have been installed for a second five-year term in office, but the army blocked Parliament from convening and detained her and President Win Myint, as well as other top members of Suu Kyi's government.

Protesters fight back

Sunday's violence erupted in the early morning when medical students were marching in Yangon's streets near the Hledan Centre intersection, which has become the gathering point for protesters who then fan out to other parts of the city.

Videos and photos showed protesters running away as police charged at them, and residents setting up makeshift roadblocks to slow their advance. Some protesters managed to throw tear gas canisters back at police. Nearby, residents were pleading with police to release those they picked up from the street and shoved into police trucks to be taken away. Dozens or more were believed to have been detained.

READ MORE: 'Deep concern' after Australian detained in Myanmar

Demonstrators regrouped later Sunday and security forces continued to chase them in several neighbourhoods.

There was no immediate word on Yangon casualties. Sounds of gunfire could be heard in the streets and there were what appeared to be smoke grenades thrown into the crowds.

"The Myanmar security forces' clear escalation in use of lethal force in multiple towns and cities across the country in response to mostly peaceful anti-coup protesters is outrageous and unacceptable, and must be immediately halted," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for New York-based Human Rights Watch. "Live ammunition should not be used to control or disperse protests and lethal force can only be used to protect life or prevent serious injury."

"The world is watching the actions of the Myanmar military junta, and will hold them accountable," he said.

On Saturday, security forces began employing rougher tactics, taking preemptive actions to break up protests and making scores, if not hundreds, of arrests. Greater numbers of soldiers have also joined police. Many of those detained were taken to Insein Prison in Yangon's northern outskirts, historically notorious for holding political prisoners.

According to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners, as of Saturday, 854 people had been arrested, charged or sentenced at one point in relation to the coup, and 771 were being detained or sought for arrest. The group said that while it had documented 75 new arrests, it understood that hundreds of other people were also picked up Saturday in Yangon and elsewhere.

MRTV, a Myanmar state-run television channel, broadcast an announcement Saturday night from the Foreign Ministry that the country's ambassador to the United Nations had been fired because he had abused his power and misbehaved by failing to follow the instructions of the government and "betraying" it.

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun had declared in an emotional speech Friday at the U.N. General Assembly in New York that he represented Suu Kyi's "civilian government elected by the people" and supported the struggle against military rule.

He urged all countries to issue public statements strongly condemning the coup, and to refuse to recognize the military regime. He also called for stronger international measures to stop violence by security forces against peaceful demonstrators.

Western Australia Police allege a driver accused of causing a car accident in the state's south fled the scene leaving a mother and her child trapped under active power lines.

Police say the driver of a Mitsubishi Triton ploughed into a power pole on Anstruther Road in Mandurah around 9.30pm yesterday.

Nearby residents rushed to help, but the man behind the wheel had already run off.

The impact of the crash had downed lines, leaving live power lines hanging dangerously over the street.

With the street pitch black and the power lines down, a woman with her young son in the car unknowingly continued driving forward.

"I saw the first car trapped in there, because as I was running I had the torch and I saw her coming and I was like 'stop, stop, stop', and then I saw her get straight into the power line," witness Trevor Donohoe told 9News.

The mother and son were stuck under the wires for half an hour.

"The police told them to wind up the windows, turn off their mobile phones and stay in the car," witness Shona McCullough told 9News.

The pair were finally freed by firefighters.

Western Power spent more than 15 hours attempting to restore electricity to 1700 homes.

The driver has handed himself in to Mandurah Police.

An 18-year-old man is missing at sea after being swept off rocks at a remote beach in Western Australia's Great Southern region.

The teenager set out to go fishing with three family members yesterday afternoon at Mermaid Beach, near Albany, but after more than 27 hours there's still no sign of him.

A large wave swept the teenager and a 23-year-old man into the ocean.

The remote beach is about 70 kilometres east of Albany.

With poor mobile reception, family members were forced to run and call for help. The 23-year-old was rescued by a boat already in the water for another search.

He had been treading water for about 90 minutes before he was plucked to safety.

"Swell was in the vicinity of 4 to 6 metres so that was an extremely dangerous environment," Ian Clarke told 9News.

The search zone for the missing man stretches 3km along the coast. Up to 50 family members are staying in the area praying for good news.

"We've been able to have some of the members of the family as part of the search team which gives them a really good indication of just how much work is being done to locate their brother, friend, son and grandson," Mr Clarke said.

"The information we have is that the young man was a capable swimmer so these again are all those things that we put into the mix when considering the situation."

A horror high-speed impact at a sidecar racing event in Adelaide has left a passenger with spinal injuries.

Shayne Melbourne was behind the wheel when his passenger Nick Johns flung metres from their bike at the Gillman Speedway track about 8pm on Saturday.

Paramedics were called to the track, with the pair's injuries extensive.

"I was at full throttle, I thought 'am I going to miss?' Then too late, bang, done," Mr Melbourne told 9News.

Both were treated on site then given the all clear.

Mr Johns later realised he was in a bad way and took himself to hospital, where he's expected to be for days.

"I spoke to him today, he's got a couple of squashed vertebraes, he's not in a good way," Mr Melbourne said.

It was the second major crash on the night.

Mr Melbourne said the condition of the track was a concern.

"The track surface looked great but was hot and cold all night — very dry and slick in others — a number of incidents where quite a few people got hurt," he said.

No race official received a complaint about the track last night.

9News has been told the track meets international standards and safety features include rubber fencing and airbags on corners.

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The rented aircraft, used by a local aeroclub, was towed from the runway.

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