Four additional Australians have been confirmed safe following the catastrophic floods that impacted Nepal and Tibet, although 38 individuals remain unaccounted for. Families of those still missing are appealing to officials to intensify their search efforts.
The flooding has resulted in at least 1,066 fatalities and left 4,462 individuals unaccounted for. Since Tuesday morning, five Australian citizens have been located safe, including one in Nepal and another in China, while three were found outside the affected areas.
According to the ABC, the individuals confirmed safe on Wednesday had not been in contact with their families or next of kin since the floods, making their welfare verification challenging initially.
As of Tuesday, Nepal reported that 1,050 bodies had been recovered, with 3,916 people still missing. Meanwhile, Chinese state media has reported 16 deaths and 546 individuals unaccounted for, bringing the total death toll to 1,066 and the number of missing persons to 4,462. So far, over 11,814 individuals have been rescued.
Rescue teams are concentrating their efforts on hydropower construction sites, where hundreds of workers are believed to be stranded. Recent images from the Nepalese military depict teams navigating through debris-laden tunnels in search of survivors.
Anamika Shrestha, a resident of Victoria, is anxiously awaiting news about her 65-year-old father, Ganesh Mani Shrestha, an engineer who was working at the Rasuwagadhi Integrated Customs Checkpoint near the Nepal-Tibet border. Ms. Shrestha expressed frustration over the delay in rescue operations, which took nearly a week to reach the area where her father was last known to be.
“We need specialized teams for missing persons, along with forensic and DNA support, to properly identify any recovered bodies,” Ms. Shrestha emphasized. While her family maintains hope that her father is safe, they are also eager to have closure in case of his death. “Not knowing if his soul is at peace is incredibly difficult for us,” she added.
Her brother in Nepal has provided DNA samples to assist in identifying their father’s remains, although she noted that this process could take months. “We are still hopeful he’s safe somewhere, but the longer it takes, the more people believe that if he were safe, we would have heard something by now,” Ms. Shrestha remarked.
The Australian government has pledged $8 million in aid to Nepal, with emergency supplies such as shelter, hygiene kits, and solar lighting being delivered by the Australian Defence Force. Additionally, 18 Australian response team members are actively assisting on the ground in Nepal.
In China, rescue teams are employing search dogs to comb through rubble at the Gyirong Port border crossing, which has been completely devastated. Chinese state media reported that the road to the site has been reopened, with additional personnel dispatched to assist in the search for the missing.
Authorities in Nepal have begun interring hundreds of unidentified bodies after conducting DNA sampling, as mortuaries face overcrowding. At least 17 bodies have also been recovered from rivers in downstream India.
For those interested in providing support to the thousands affected by the crisis, the ABC is collaborating with member charities of the Emergency Action Alliance and their local partners. Further information is available for those wishing to help.
