World News
Number of Australians missing in Nepal floods rises to 41 as search and rescue efforts continue
Australia is sending extra personnel and $5 million in aid to Nepal, where hundreds have died and thousands remain unaccounted for following flash floods.
The short version
- The number of Australians reported missing after catastrophic flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border has increased to 41, while one Australian hiker was confirmed safe.
- Overall, the Red Cross reports approximately 600 deaths and up to 93,000 people affected, with nearly 2,000 individuals still unaccounted for.
- Australia is dispatching additional crisis response and humanitarian specialists to Kathmandu to assist consular operations alongside a $5 million aid pledge.
- Rescue operations resumed Saturday morning after being temporarily halted due to the threat of further flooding.
Key facts
- The number of Australians reported missing in Nepal rose to 41 on Saturday morning, up from 38 on Friday evening.[The Guardian]
- A 25-year-old Australian hiker previously reported missing contacted her family on Friday and confirmed she was safe.[The Guardian]
- The Red Cross estimates that around 600 people died and up to 93,000 were affected by the Wednesday flash floods.[The Guardian]
- Nepal's disaster management agency reports 1,924 people unaccounted for, including 517 foreign tourists.[The Guardian]
- Australia pledged $5 million in disaster aid and deployed extra crisis and rapid response specialists to Kathmandu.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- The exact number of casualties and missing persons remains fluid as disaster management officials and international groups update figures and search operations contend with ongoing weather risks.[The Guardian]