Miracle as four more Australians are found alive after Nepal flood disaster
Rescuers in Nepal have found four more missing Australians alive, bringing the total number rescued to six following last week's catastrophic flash flooding. The discoveries offer rare good news amid a disaster that has left more than 4,850 people missing, including 38 Australians, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcoming the update while cautioning that many remain unaccounted for. Australian crisis response teams are working alongside Nepalese authorities and embassy staff to trace the missing, as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade continues sending Air Force aid flights to the region.
The first Australian found alive was 26-year-old Cara Severino of Wollongong, who survived near Langtang National Park by fleeing with a group on a tractor; a second person was rescued on Tuesday, followed by four more on Wednesday, though their identities have not yet been confirmed. Nepal Police say 1,118 bodies have been recovered since the flood struck a week ago, with Chinese state media reporting a further 16 deaths and 546 missing on the Tibetan side of the border. The first confirmed Australian fatality was Michael Keats from New South Wales, a follower of Isha Foundation leader Sadhguru, while missing Australians include children as young as 11-year-old Aarush Muralitharan, who was travelling with family on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash. Authorities have rescued almost 12,000 people overall, with efforts now focused on debris-filled hydropower tunnels believed to be trapping hundreds of workers, and at least 17 bodies have also been recovered downstream in India.
- Four more Australians rescued alive in Nepal, taking total to six
- More than 4,850 people, including 38 Australians, still missing
- Over 1,118 bodies recovered; rescue effort now targets flooded tunnels
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Nepal has been hit by catastrophic flash flooding, with more than 4,850 people reported missing across the country, including 38 Australians who were travelling or on pilgrimage in the region at the time. Nepalese authorities, alongside Australian embassy staff and crisis response teams, have been working to trace the missing and recover those trapped, with the Australian government also sending aid flights to support the response.
Among those caught up in the disaster were Australians visiting areas such as Langtang National Park and travellers on a pilgrimage route towards Mount Kailash, which crosses into Tibet. The flooding has caused widespread destruction, with search teams also focused on hydropower tunnels where workers are feared trapped, and further deaths and missing persons reported on the Tibetan side of the border and downstream in India.
The scale of the disaster and the number of Australians unaccounted for has made it a significant story for Australian audiences, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese among those following developments closely as rescue and identification efforts continue.