Nepal flood devastation deepens as 39 Australians are now reported missing and death toll climbs to 389
The number of Australians unaccounted for in Nepal has risen to 39 after a terrifying flash flood engulfed villages following a catastrophic landslide.
Hundreds feared missing after massive floodwaters triggered by an ice avalanche tore through the popular Himalayan region near the Nepal-Tibet border on Wednesday morning (local time).
The office of Nepal’s Prime Minister has confirmed at least 389 people have died, with the death toll expected to rise as rescue efforts continue.
More than 1300 people, including more than 667 foreigners from 33 countries, remain missing.
Aussies unaccounted for rose from 35 to 39 overnight, Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed on Friday.
‘We understand at least 39 Australians are among those reported missing. Australian officials are working urgently to confirm their welfare and provide assistance to those affected,’ a statement read.
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials have been deployed to the region to assist recovery and identification efforts.
‘The extraordinary scale of this disaster and the remoteness of the affected region mean immense challenges lie ahead for the response and recovery,’ Wong said.
More than 667 foreigners, including 39 Aussies remain missing after the flood in Nepal
Men in hi-vis jackets and hard hats fled in terror as they watched the mass of water rush through a valley
A family friend shared an urgent plea to find the Iyer family (above), from Sydney, following devastating floods in Nepal
Community vigils were held in Sydney and Melbourne on Thursday night.
The Iver family from Sydney’s north-west were the first missing Australians to be to be identified on Thursday.
Sridharan Iyer, Roopa Sridhar, Rudhra Sreedharan Iyer and Rishabh Sridharan Iyer were last known to be in Kathmandu.
It’s understood the family were part of a Himalayan Glacier Trekking tour.
Fellow Sydneysiders Chandrasekaran and Shylaja Muralitharan, along with their young sons Ashwin and Aarush were on the same tour.
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.
Also missing are NSW couple Venkatraman Balakrishnan, 52, and his wife Chitra Venkatraman, 46, along with Kanagamah Sundrasan, a mother-of-two and business owner in Queensland.
Many of the missing Australians, and other tourists in the region, had travelled to the area for a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet.
Couple Shylaja Muralitharan (left) and Chandrasekaran Muralitharan (right) from northwest Sydney are missing in Nepal’s floods
Chandrasekaran and Shylaja Muralitharan are unaccounted for alongside their two young sons, Ashwin and Aarush (above)
Chitra Venkatraman (above) was on the Himalayan Glacier Trekking tour
Venkatraman Balakrishnan (above) went missing in Nepal’s floods on Wednesday
The mountain is a sacred place in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bon. Summer, from June to August, is the most popular time of year for the trek.
Most of the missing Australians were part of two tours in the area, the Himalayan Glacier Trekking group and a second organised by Kailash Journeys.
Another 11 Australians were travelling with the Isha Foundation, a spiritual non-profit, when the disaster struck.
Smartraveller has updated its travel advice, urging Australians to exercise a high degree of caution because of major flash flooding and a mudslide.
Australians in need of urgent help should contact DFAT’s 24-hour consular emergency centre.
