Key facts
- At least 39 Australians are missing following flash floods in Nepal.
- The death toll has risen to nearly 400, with around 1,400 people still unaccounted for.
- Families are anxiously awaiting news and information on rescue efforts.
- The Australian government is deploying consular and humanitarian aid specialists.
- The remote and vast scale of the disaster poses significant challenges to the response.
Relatives of Australians missing in Nepal following devastating flash floods are anxiously awaiting news, as the death toll climbs and rescue efforts face immense challenges due to the disaster's scale and the region's remoteness.
Among the missing are the Muralitharan family of four from Sydney, who were on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash. Shylaja Muralitharan, her husband Chandrasekaran, and their sons Ashwin, 14, and Aarush, 11, lost contact shortly after breakfast on the morning of the floods. They were part of a group of 15 Australians trekking with Himalayan Glacier Adventures.
Vaishnavi, Shylaja's sister, expressed deep worry but maintained hope for their safe return, emphasizing the family's difficult wait and their desire for information on rescue efforts. She confirmed the group had been training for the trek, which was planned for some time.
Other Australians confirmed to be missing include New South Wales couple Venkatraman Balakrishnan and Chitra Venkatraman, and Sreedharan and Lakshmi Iyer with their adult sons Rishab and Rudhra. The West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook Cricket Club stated they were aware of the reports concerning the Iyer family.
Separate groups of Australians, travelling with Trekkers Society and Kailash Journeys, are also unaccounted for. The founder of Himalayan Glacier Adventures, Sagar Pandey, expressed little hope for his tour group of 47, including the 15 Australians, stating the flood had swept away everything in the Rasuwa area.
The Isha Foundation confirmed 11 Australians were among 80 missing pilgrims caught in an immigration building. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that at least 39 Australians are reported missing and that the government is rapidly mobilizing consular and humanitarian support, including a team of three specialists to assist existing staff on the ground.