An Australian who was among those unaccounted for following severe flooding along the Nepal-Tibet border has been located alive, according to authorities. The individual made contact with representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Tuesday from Tibet and is currently receiving support from Australian consular officers. They have also been able to communicate with their family members.
The discovery brings the count of unaccounted Australians down from 43 to 42. This marks the second Australian located following the disaster, with another person identified as 25-year-old Cara Severino found safely earlier in the week. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong stated that the government was grateful for the outcome and acknowledged the relief being experienced by the individual’s loved ones following the difficult circumstances of recent days.
The disaster, which occurred when a massive deluge of ice, rock, mud and debris swept through the region last week, has resulted in a significant death toll. The confirmed fatalities have reached 939, with an additional 16 deaths reported in Tibet. More than 4,400 people remain unaccounted for across the affected areas. Communications infrastructure in the region has been severely compromised, and numerous locations remain challenging to access, complicating ongoing search and recovery efforts.
Wong emphasized the need for realistic expectations going forward, noting that infrastructure destruction and difficult terrain continue to impede rescue operations. Nepal has mobilized approximately 20,000 security personnel to support search and rescue activities, while China has deployed 2,141 emergency personnel to affected areas. Australia has committed an assistance package valued at $8 million to support affected communities in the Nepal-Tibet border region.
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