Bairnsdale: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison hinted that he may postpone an upcoming trip to India to stay in the country as deadly bushfires continue to ravage the country's two most populous states.
In a news conference from the Victorian town of Bairnsdale on Friday, Morrison said that his "inclination at this point" would be "not to proceed" with his visit to the subcontinent later in January for trade and defence talks.
In December, he cut short a family holiday in Hawaii in the face of public anger at his absence.
Read also: Australia orders mass evacuation of fire-ravaged towns before heatwave
As he spoke to journalists, Morrison also paid tribute to firefighters, emergency services and the military who have "prevented the loss of many lives and properties" amid the bushfire crisis.
This week, navy ships and the defence force was activated to help evacuate tens of thousands of residents on the New South Wales' South Coast and Victoria's East Gippsland before temperatures soar above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) by Saturday, increasing the fire threat.
About 5 million hectares (12.35 million acres) of land have burned, at least 19 people have been killed, and more than 1,400 homes have been destroyed.
Read also: Raging wildfires trap 4,000 at Australian town's waterfront
