A major flooding disaster in Nepal has left dozens of Australians unaccounted for, with authorities reporting the scale of the catastrophe extends well beyond the Australian contingent. Nepal police stated that more than 1,500 people remain missing overall and 469 have been confirmed dead following massive flash floods and landslides that struck the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river basins. One Australian woman has been confirmed as having survived, marking the first positive confirmation among those reported missing.
Karan Bhardwaj, a 40-year-old Royal Australian Air Force member based in Brisbane, is among those unaccounted for. He was travelling with Kailash Journeys at the time of the disaster. His family member expressed that he is deeply loved and described the family as “desperately praying, hoping and believing that Karan is safe.” A family of four from Sydney—Shylaja Muralitharan, her husband Chandrasekaran, and their two sons Ashwin and Aarush—lost contact shortly after breakfast on the morning of the disaster while participating in a Hindu pilgrimage. They were part of a group of 15 Australians trekking with Himalayan Glacier Adventures.
Other missing Australians include Sumi Adhikari, who was at an immigration office when floodwaters struck, and Bharat Mangwani, who was on a pilgrimage with the Isha Foundation. Suhasini Kandimalla, a mother of two from near Brisbane, and Narayan Panthi, a Brisbane man involved in educational charity work, are also among those unaccounted for. Two medical students at the University of Newcastle, Rishab and Rudhra Iyer, are missing along with their family members.
Families have expressed both concern and hope regarding the situation. Relatives reported difficulty obtaining clear information about rescue and recovery efforts being coordinated for those missing. Authorities and community organisations have appealed for anyone with information about the missing individuals to come forward.
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