The death toll from the devastating floods and landslides across Nepal and Tibet has risen sharply, with Nepali police confirming at least 469 people dead and more than 1,400 still missing. At least 39 Australians remain unaccounted for, while authorities have issued a fresh warning over two newly formed lakes that could burst and trigger another major flood.

The scale of the Himalayan disaster continues to grow as rescue teams work across remote and heavily damaged areas.

Authorities have urged people living along river systems to move away from riverbanks and seek higher ground amid fears that further flooding could strike.

Two newly formed lakes raise fresh fears

Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has warned that two lakes have formed along the Lende River.

Officials fear rising water levels could lead to a sudden breach and a new large-scale flood.

Residents, travellers and rescue workers have been urged to remain on high alert, with authorities warning that additional lakes could also form in the area. 

39 Australians still missing

The Australian government has confirmed that at least 39 Australians remain unaccounted for.

Among the most heavily affected groups is a tour operated by Himalayan Glacier Adventures, with 15 Australians still missing. 

Among those identified are members of Sydney’s Iyer family: Sreedharan Iyer, 53, his wife Lakshmi, 50, and their sons Rudra, 21, and Rishabh, 24, who are both medical students. 

Also missing are Chandrasekaran and Shylaja Muralitharan and their sons Aarush, 14, and Ashwin, 11. 

Other Australians reported missing include Brisbane father Narayan Panthi, Sidharthi Sahu and Sandeep Mohapatra, Uday and Kripa Shivamurthy, and outdoor education expert Michael Keats. 

Families travel to Nepal to search for loved ones

Some relatives have decided to travel to Nepal themselves as the wait for information becomes increasingly desperate.

The husband of Newcastle-based Reshma Patel, 46, flew to Nepal after losing contact with her near the Nepal-China border shortly before the floods hit.

The wife of Sydney engineer Bharat Mangwani, 42, was also travelling to Kathmandu to search for him.

The husband of Sumi Adhikari, 41, a Sydney-based network engineer, has already arrived in Nepal and issued a public appeal for information about her whereabouts. 

Australia pledges $5 million in humanitarian assistance

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has confirmed Australia will provide $5 million in humanitarian assistance.

The funding includes:

• $2 million for the World Food Programme to provide food rations and logistics support;
• $2 million for Australian NGOs through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership;
• $1 million for the Emergency Action Alliance to support locally led recovery and rehabilitation efforts. 

DFAT has also deployed additional personnel to the region and is working to contact the families of those still missing.

Wong said the consular centre had received more than 300 calls since the emergency response was activated. 

More than 5,000 soldiers involved in rescue operations

Around 5,400 members of the Nepali Army are now involved in search, rescue and medical operations.

The army says more than 200 people have been rescued by ground teams and nearly 700 evacuated by helicopter, including 101 foreign nationals.

The Indian Air Force has also been deployed to assist with supplies and survivor rescues. 

The emergency is far from over

The confirmed death toll of 469 may still rise.

With more than 1,400 people missing and the threat of additional flooding, the disaster remains active and highly dangerous.

For the families of the 39 Australians still unaccounted for, every hour without contact adds to the uncertainty. For Nepal, the challenge is now twofold: find the missing and prevent another flood from turning an already catastrophic disaster into something even worse.

JUST IN – Rescue operations suspended as barrier lake begins overflowing

A fresh and potentially dangerous development has just come into the newsroom from the Nepal-Tibet disaster zone.

Rescue operations searching for survivors along the Nepal-Tibet border have been temporarily suspended after a barrier lake upstream began overflowing, according to Chinese state media.

Chinese broadcaster CCTV is warning that the rising water has created a serious risk of new flash flooding across areas already devastated by the disaster.

Emergency teams have been forced to halt some search operations as authorities assess the danger and monitor water levels.

The development comes as more than 1,400 people remain missing, including at least 39 Australians, making the suspension of rescue operations particularly concerning.

This is a rapidly developing situation. Further updates are expected as soon as authorities determine whether search teams can safely return to the affected areas.