Dozens of Australians remain missing two days after a deadly flash flood tore through valleys on the Nepal-Tibet border, obliterating towns and killing more than 400 people .
A major search-and-rescue mission has been mounted by Nepal’s government, army and police, but roads and bridges have been washed away, access to helicopters is limited and weather conditions are poor.
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, said on Friday morning 39 Australians were missing, an increase from 35 on Thursday evening. As of Friday evening, 38 Australians were missing after one woman made contact with her family.
Anthony Albanese said Australia was sending crisis and humanitarian response specialists to help in the aftermath.
“Our thoughts are with the loved ones of those affected as we urgently work to confirm the welfare of missing Australians,” the prime minister said.
Related: ‘So desperately loved’: ADF member among dozens of Australians missing in Nepal floods as families pray for safe return
“People would have seen the footage, which is a truly horrific event. At this point, Nepal is a developing country. It doesn’t have the resources that an event like that would have in Australia, so information is difficult.”
“We are urgently working to ascertain [the missing Australians’] whereabouts and their wellbeing,” Wong said.
“Australian officials are working urgently to confirm their welfare and provide assistance to those affected.”
More than 1,500 people remain missing, and 469 have been confirmed dead after massive flash floods and landslides tore through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river basins.
Those figures are likely to fluctuate in coming days as rescue efforts continue and a clearer picture of the devastation emerges.
Dr Soniya Rijal, a Nepali postdoctoral research associate at the University of Sydney, who has expertise on disaster management and community response, said it was impossible at this stage to know how many people had been affected by the disaster.
“It’s possible the impact could be even more devastating than the 7.5 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015,” she said.
“I’ve heard people were notifying neighbours to leave before the flooding hit but, because there was no rain leading to the flash floods, many of these warnings weren’t taken seriously. What makes this disaster unusual is that it was so sudden, coming without warning.”
Rijal said local knowledge would be critical in finding and rescuing survivors safely.
“Nepal is a very collective society and locals will have a better idea of how to locate missing people than those without local knowledge.”
Speaking on ABC radio, Wong said the four additional Australians missing had been travelling separately to the Himalayan Glacier Adventures tour and Kathmandu Holiday Tours and Travel group.
She said a further increase in the number of Australians missing was an “unfortunate possibility”.
“I know this is an extremely distressing time for those who have loved ones unaccounted for and we are thinking of them,” she said.
Related: Climate crisis could be destabilising mountain areas like Nepal, experts warn
In her earlier statement, Wong also said the government was “rapidly mobilising consular and humanitarian support in response to the catastrophic floods along the Nepal-China border, including through a $5m assistance package for affected communities”.
She said the government would send an initial team of three humanitarian response specialists “within the next 48 hours” to help 20 Australian staff already on the ground.
“The extraordinary scale of this disaster and the remoteness of the affected region mean immense challenges lie ahead for the response and recovery.”
Of the $5m Wong said $2m would go to the World Food Programme, $2m to Australian NGOs through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership “to provide support such as emergency shelter, hygiene kits, blankets, medical support and psychosocial support”, and $1m to the Emergency Action Alliance to support locally led recovery.
Overnight, former Australian race discrimination commissioner Chin Tan was among members of the Nepali community who gathered at the Australian Nepalese multicultural centre to grieve the disaster.
Families gathered for prayers and held a minute’s silence for those lost to the floods, laying candles beside a hand-crafted display of dyed rice reading “pray for Nepal”.
“Today, all Australians are Nepalis because our grief is yours,” Tan said.
The diaspora was “united in grief, hope and prayer”, the secretary of the centre, Sudhir Shakya, told the event, held north-west of Melbourne.
“Behind every number is a person – a mother, a father, a son, a daughter, a relative, a friend, and someone deeply loved,” he said.
Australia’s Nepali diaspora – more than 200,000 people across the country – are planning a series of vigils.
Governments, councils, NGOs and community organisations have led an outpouring of condolences.
Merri-Bek city council in Melbourne’s northern suburbs is home to the largest Nepali community in Victoria.
“Council extends its deepest sympathies to the families, friends and communities of the Australians who have lost their lives, and to everyone affected by this tragic event,” the council said in a statement.
“We also acknowledge the profound impact on people across our community with connections to Nepal … and people who are worried about family, friends and loved ones.”
Australians in need of emergency consular assistance have been advised to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s consular emergency centre on 1300 555 135, or +61 2 6261 3305 (if calling from overseas).
A major search-and-rescue mission has been mounted by Nepal’s government, army and police, but roads and bridges have been washed away, access to helicopters is limited and weather conditions are poor.
This report is published with credit to theguardian.com. Full available text from the wire is above. Read on theguardian.com →
Source: theguardian.com · Ben Doherty and Australian Associated Press. Published 28 Aug 2026, 09:09 am.
