Updated ,first published
The family of an Australian woman thought to have been missing in the Nepalese floods said her survival was a “miracle” as they thanked the Australian government and Nepalese hiking partners who got her out safely.
Cara Severino, 26, was listed as missing following the devastating floods that swept across regions in Nepal and China on Wednesday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Sunday confirmed there were 42 Australians missing in floods that have left thousands dead and unaccounted for. That number includes six Australians who Chinese state authorities said were missing on the Chinese side of the border, among a total of 261 foreign nationals who remain unaccounted for.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement on Sunday: “This is an extremely anxious time for their families and loved ones. They are understandably desperate for news, and our thoughts are very much with them.”
The death toll in Nepal and Tibet on Sunday (Monday AEST) climbed to 804 with 3048 missing. The Red Cross estimates that more than 90,000 people are likely to have been affected by the disaster. The Australian government will deploy a further $3 million in humanitarian assistance. The Royal Australian Air Force will transport supplies from Queensland later this week.
Severino contacted her parents on Friday after two days hiking through the devastated area. She was located by consular officials in Nepal on Saturday, who drove out from Kathmandu to meet her.
Severino’s parents, Debbie and Frank, said they were “beyond relieved and elated” that she had been found safe.
“We can’t wait to hold her in our loving arms,” they said in a statement distributed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Sunday.
“Seeing Cara’s name appear on my MessageBank, hearing her voice and now seeing her photo and speaking with her has been the most miraculous gift.”
The pair thanked their church, Jesus, family and friends who had prayed for the “miracle”, as well as the Australian consular response teams and local teams.
“We are so grateful to her Nepalese hiking partners who saw her through a harrowing several days of hiking in very difficult terrain – so thankful that they have all made it to safety,” they said.
“The scale of this tragedy is staggering, and amidst our personal joy we continue to stand in prayer with the many families here in Australia, in Nepal and around the world who have lost loved ones or are still waiting to hear from them … We know that the waiting is horrendous.”
The pair encouraged people to donate via the Emergency Action Alliance webpage.
Cara Severino in a statement on Saturday said she felt “blessed” to be Australian and to have support from the embassy and the government.
“I’m so grateful for the crew we formed on that first day when we entered the national park on the tractor. Sudha, Lucas, Samir and Saugat. It’s thanks to these amazing people I got out safely,” she said.
“I feel for the families of those still missing. I know how much my family and friends went through.”
Meanwhile, relatives of one missing Australian family are desperately hoping to find their loved ones among the survivors of the disaster. More than 7000 people have been rescued in Nepal so far.
Speaking to this masthead in Nepal, one of the four brothers of Sreedharan Iyer, 53, said they were yet to get a “concrete” lead on what had happened to his brother from authorities carrying out search and rescue operations.
Iyer, from the Sydney suburb of Cherrybrook, his wife, Lakshmi, 49, and the couple’s two sons – Rudhra, 20, and Rishab, 23 – were travelling with a group of about 15 Australian friends to the Hindu sacred site of Mount Kailash.
“They were on their way towards the border check post [to get to Mount Kalaish],” Ganesh Gopalakrishnan said.
“It could have been they were face to face with the floods coming at them, and we just hope they managed to park their cars and escape to an elevated area.”
Ganesh was at work in Bangalore when he first learned the shocking news that a disaster was unfolding exactly where his family members were travelling.
“We didn’t have the itinerary with us, so we had to start from scratch, starting with the tour operator,” he said. “From there, we found the itinerary and the place they spent that last night and morning, and then when they would have checked out. That was 8.45am.”
Lakshmi runs the Leap Pad Early Learning Centre in Riverstone, the brothers said. Sreedharan is a mortgage broker. Their eldest son, Rishab, is a doctor and Rudhra is studying medicine at a university in Sydney.
“It is [Sreedharan’s] dream to get his children to become doctors,” Ganesh said. “He’s been very successful in getting two fine boys.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday said his “thoughts and prayers” were with the families of those missing and the people of Nepal.
“The tragedy in Nepal [has] resulted in such devastation, loss of life, potentially including so many Australians still among the missing,” he said at the Queensland Labor state conference.
“That something so devastating could occur in such an awesome and inspiring corner of the world during times of pilgrimage and holiday makes the blow seem even more heartbreaking. Australia is responding with significant consular rescue and humanitarian aid.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was concerned about the Australians still missing.
“There remain grave concerns for the other Australians who are still unaccounted for, given the tremendous scale of the flooding and its impact,” Wong said on Saturday.
Most of the Australians still missing were pilgrims on a journey to one of the most spiritually significant locations in the world. The list of Australians missing can be found here.
Australia has announced a $5 million assistance package for affected communities.
Nepal’s government has said it does not need foreign help for general rescue, but Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Chhetri said the country needed assistance in such areas as tunnel rescue, DNA testing, refrigerated storage for bodies and forensic identification of decomposed remains.
He said Indian and Chinese experts were on the ground helping efforts to open tunnels. Rescue efforts in Nepal are focused on extracting hundreds of people believed to be trapped in tunnels at hydropower plants.
Nepal has mobilised more than 18,500 military and police personnel on rescue missions. Opening the tunnel entrance at the Trishuli 3 A Hydropower Project located in Rasuwa is a particular focus.
China has mobilised more than 2100 rescue workers and allocated at least 220 million yuan ($32.7 million) to support relief efforts.
It is also providing emergency cash aid, disaster relief supplies, satellite and hydrological data and tunnel rescue experts to Nepal, CCTV said.
China used heavy-lift drones as helicopters began airdropping equipment and supplies to rescuers near the border crossing. Soldiers have used life-detection equipment, drones and a navigation system to continue searching for the missing.
With Reuters/Bloomberg
Australians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135, or +61 2 6261 3305 (if calling from overseas).
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Amber Schultz is a crime and justice reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
