Renee was at Gyirong Port minutes before flood struck, now her family want to travel from Australia to help search

by | Aug 30, 2026 | Top Stories

Renee was at Gyirong Port minutes before flood struck, now her family want to travel from Australia to help search

Renee, a disability support worker from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, arrived at Gyirong Port approximately ten minutes before a catastrophic flood inundated the area. The region experienced severe destruction, with rescue imagery showing extensive damage to buildings, infrastructure, and surrounding landscape. She was among multiple Australian nationals present during the disaster.

Renee’s family members, including her long-term partner Shaun and their two adult daughters, are attempting to organize travel to Nepal with the goal of searching the affected area. A fundraising campaign has been established to support the family’s trip. While Shaun, an emergency nurse, initially intended to travel alone, their daughters have insisted on accompanying him. The family acknowledges the difficult circumstances and remote likelihood of survival given the severity of the flooding and Renee’s proximity to the impact zone, but stated they wish to hold onto hope pending definitive information.

Renee’s sister described her as a spiritual individual with strong humanitarian values who had pursued disability support work despite holding advanced degrees. The family emphasized that Renee’s primary concern would be directed toward the broader humanitarian crisis affecting Nepali communities rather than focus on her own situation.

The flood has claimed multiple lives among international visitors. Michael Keats, an Australian pilgrim who had been near the Tibet-Nepal border during the flooding, was confirmed deceased. His family released statements indicating he had been on a spiritual pilgrimage to Mt Kailash, describing him as a teacher and mentor figure to many individuals.

Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source

Article summary produced by Claude AI