At least 39 Australians are now missing following the catastrophic floods and landslides that have struck Nepal and Tibet. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has confirmed the federal government is handling 43 consular cases linked to the disaster and has announced $5 million in humanitarian assistance to support recovery efforts across the region.
The situation remains critical across the Himalayas, where rescue crews and local authorities are continuing to search for hundreds of people after devastating flash floods and landslides cut off communities and destroyed infrastructure.
The number of Australians unaccounted for has risen from 35 to 39, after Canberra received information about four additional Australians who were believed to have been travelling in the region as part of a tour.
Wong warned that the number could still rise.
“We are urgently working to identify how many Australians have been in the region and to confirm the welfare of any Australians who are not accounted for,” she said.
DFAT handling 43 consular cases
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is currently managing 43 consular cases connected to the disaster.
Officials are working with tour operators, local authorities, families and international organisations to establish the whereabouts and welfare of Australians in the affected areas.
The task remains difficult because roads have been cut, communications are patchy and many mountain communities are hard to reach.
Australia pledges $5 million in aid
The federal government has announced $5 million in humanitarian assistance for the disaster response.
The funding will support the provision of:
- food;
- emergency shelter;
- clean water;
- sanitation;
- medical assistance.
The government says further support could be considered as the scale of the disaster becomes clearer.
More Australian staff heading to Nepal
Australia already has around 20 officials on the ground in Nepal.
Wong said another four officers would be deployed within the next 24 hours, followed by a second team in the coming days.
That team will include specialists in logistics, humanitarian assistance, communications and planning.
The additional staff will support Australian officials already working in challenging conditions.
Wong to speak with Nepal’s foreign minister
The Foreign Minister is also expected to speak with her Nepalese counterpart to discuss what additional assistance may be required.
Asked whether Australian Defence Force personnel could be sent to the region, Wong said Australia generally deploys specialist civilian response teams with expertise in logistics, communications and emergency planning in the first instance.
Families face an agonising wait
For the families of those still missing, the latest update brings further uncertainty.
Being listed as missing does not necessarily mean a person has been injured or killed. Some travellers may simply be isolated and unable to make contact because of damaged infrastructure and communications.
But with at least 39 Australians still unaccounted for, the coming hours and days will be crucial.
Canberra is now working on two fronts: locating its missing citizens and supporting the wider humanitarian response to one of the region’s most serious recent disasters.
