The number of Australian citizens considered missing after devastating floods on the border between Nepal and Tibet has risen to 41. On Friday evening, the whereabouts of 38 Australians were unknown, The Guardian reports.
One Australian woman makes contact
Twenty-five-year-old Australian Kara Severino, who had previously been considered missing, contacted her parents on Friday morning. She said she was walking from the disaster zone to Kathmandu with a group of Nepalese hikers. The route is more than 110 kilometres long.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is working with local authorities to establish contact with Severino. The department has also received more than 450 inquiries related to the disaster.
According to the Red Cross, around 600 people were killed in the flash floods on Wednesday, and the disaster may have affected up to 93,000 people. A major rescue operation is being complicated by the threat of further flooding and heavy monsoon rains.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Search efforts and Australia’s assistance
Nepal’s emergency management agency reported that 1,924 people remain missing, including 517 foreign tourists. At around 7:30 p.m. on Friday, authorities announced the rescue of 121 foreigners; there were no Australian citizens among them.
Search and rescue operations in Nepal and China resumed on Saturday morning after being suspended because of the risk of further flooding. Four members of Australian crisis teams are due to arrive in Kathmandu to support consular work, along with four rapid-response team specialists in communications, logistics and planning.
These specialists will supplement approximately 20 Australian personnel already working in the country alongside the Australian Embassy in Kathmandu. Australia has pledged $5 million in aid to those affected, including for rescue and recovery efforts as needed.
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