Three more Australians missing in catastrophic Nepal flash floods are identified amid the massive unfolding humanitarian response

Three more Australians missing in a horror flood in Nepal have been identified as local authorities continue rescue efforts and international support mobilises.

NSW couple Venkatraman Balakrishnan, 52, and his wife Chitra Venkatraman, 46, have now been identified as another two tourists near the Nepal-Tibet border on a tour.

The third newly-identified Australian is Kanagamah Sundrasan, a mother-of-two and business owner in Queensland.

At least 34 Australians have gone missing in the flood near the Nepal-Tibet border, triggered by a landslide and glacier collapse on Wednesday morning, local time.

Of those 34 missing, 15 Australians were on the tour with Himalayan Glacier Trekking.

Those included two families of four from NSW and two boys, aged 11 and 14.

One of the families was previously identified as the Iyers from western Sydney – Sridharan Iyer, Roopa Sridhar, Rudhra Sreedharan Iyer and Rishabh Sridharan Iyer.  

The son of the newly identified NSW couple confirmed they were 15km from the border of Tibet when they last had contact. 

‘I’d like to see my parents and everyone who went with them back in one piece, and that everyone else there is as safe as possible,’ he told the ABC.

The massive glacial collapse and ice rock avalanche occurred high in the Himalayas inside the Langtang national park and was at first presumed to be a 4.4 magnitude earthquake. 

Ms Sundrasan’s daughter, Swaatika Kanniah, said she last spoke to her mother on Tuesday.

She was in the flood-stricken region as part of a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash when the wall of water hit.

‘According to her itinerary, today was supposed to be the day she was getting there, basically,’ Ms Kanniah said.

‘It’s a very sacred spot, so it was one of her dreams to fulfil.

‘It’s been a bit worrying because we haven’t been able to contact her yet; it’s been really hard to grab hold of anyone who has any information.’

The latest update from Nepalese officials put the confirmed death toll at 332 and number of missing people at 910, including 517 foreigners.

More than 350 people were rescued as of 3.50pm, local time.

China has deployed rescue teams to assist Nepal Army crews in the region.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is ‘urgently’ working to check on the missing Australians.

‘I’ve spoken this morning to the Ambassador for Australia to Nepal, Simon Ernst, and I have also spoken to Scott Dewar, our Ambassador in Beijing,’ Wong said.

‘I’ve conveyed to them our support, my request that they do everything they are able to ascertain the whereabouts and welfare of any Australians and invited them to contact me if they need further assistance. 

‘We are currently deploying further DFAT personnel including crisis response experts to the region. 

‘I’ve asked DFAT to ensure that we do provide the support needed to these posts, particularly our post in Nepal.’

The department’s 24-hour emergency hotline can be domestically reached at 1300 555 135. If calling from overseas, the number is +61 2 6261 3305. 

Sagar Pandey, the founder of Himalayan Glacier Trekking, said he lost contact with the group of 47, including 15 Australians, following the disaster in the Rasuwa area.

Mr Pandey told The Guardian he’d flown over the affected area in a helicopter and had little hope his tour group survived.

‘To be honest, you would think there was no human civilisation there at all,’ he said.

‘The flash flood swept away everything, everything. You couldn’t see any human creations.

‘Still, I have a hope, but like one per cent. The rest I don’t have a hope, they are missing and missing and missing.’