Australian hiker Cara Severino, 26, has contacted her family after being stranded by severe flooding during the Langtang trek in Nepal, confirming she is alive. Her message offers relief amid a wider disaster in the remote Himalayan region, where dozens of Australians remain unaccounted for and rescue efforts are hampered by damaged communications and difficult terrain.

Severino reached Gosainkunda with other Nepalese hikers and was reportedly trying to reach Kathmandu on foot. Nepalese police said 477 people had died and more than 1,300 people from several countries were missing; Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the number of Australians unaccounted for had risen to 39, including Severino at the time of the update. Fifteen Australians were reportedly travelling with a US-based tour operator, including several families from Sydney.