Hundreds of inmates were evacuated from a rural jail on Tuesday (June 22) due to a mouse infestation devastating Australia's farmlands. The rodents broke in and chewed up crucial infrastructure.

Hundreds of mice have gnawed through ceiling panels and wiring at a prison in New South Wales, forcing authorities to halt operations while repairs are made.

"Our number one priority is the health, safety, and well-being of our employees and inmates, so it's critical that we act now to complete the necessary remediation work," said Corrective Services NSW's Mr. Peter Severin.

By the end of the month, up to 420 convicts and 200 employees from the Wellington Correctional Centre will be transferred to other prisons.

"We want to do this makeover once and do it right," Custodial Corrections Assistant Commissioner Kevin Corcoran said. "That means we'll be looking at methods to lessen the effects of such outbreaks in the future."

Mice have been ruining farmers' crops and annoying communities in eastern Australia for months, following a bountiful crop that boosted the wild pest's population.

The disease is the latest in a series of misfortunes that have befallen farmers.

In late 2019 and early 2020, a years-long drought was followed by months of devastating bushfires, before welcome rains delivered damaging floods to some districts.