Powerful floods in Himalayan border area sweep away houses, roads and bridges
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Dozens of Australian tourists are reportedly missing in the deadly flash floods that swept through the Nepal-Tibet border, as the Australian government says it is urgently working to confirm their welfare.
The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said on Thursday morning there were 34 Australians missing.
According to the Nepal Tourist Board, as reported by Press Association, at least 403 people have been reported missing, with 341 foreign nationals unaccounted for.
According to the tourist board, 203 of the missing are male and 200 female.
Also among the missing were 47 people from the US, 34 from Australia, 33 from the UK and 24 from Canada, according to the board’s figures.
They include one Australian who was travelling with Kathmandu Holiday Tours and Travel.
Chinese state media said separately that in Tibet’s Gyirong county the number of missing had risen to 558, including 260 foreign nationals.
Albanese said getting information from Nepal was “difficult” and “our thoughts are with all those who will be concerned about their loved ones today”.
He said the government was liaising with local authorities and tour operators to confirm the welfare of Australians in Nepal.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to those affected by the significant flooding in Nepal and Tibet, China,” he said in a statement.
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, said additional personnel from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) were being deployed to the region, including crisis response experts.
“There are many Australians who are concerned about friends or family who may be in the region … all Australians are thinking of you at this time,” Wong said. “This is a worrying situation for you all.
“We are also thinking of the people of Nepal and China and the diaspora communities in Australia. This is a very distressing time for those community members.”
Wong did not want to confirm details of the missing Australians until the government has engaged with their next of kin, but acknowledged many tourists travel to the region for trekking opportunities and spiritual reasons.
Nepal’s embassy in Canberra has also requested urgent assistance.
“We are reaching out to the Australian government and hopefully they will provide assistance to us. We are in communication with them,” said the embassy’s second secretary, Saroj Paneru.
Paneru said the government would be seeking financial assistance, but also technical support as it searches for missing people.
He said the embassy was still trying to verify the number of Australians who were missing in the region affected by flash flooding.
“The tourism industry in Nepal is working to collect information about anyone who was in the affected area,” he said.
“Once we have that data and all the details have been received, we will communicate all of this to the Australian government and the embassy in Kathmandu.”
Australians in the region have been urged to follow the advice of local authorities.
Australians in need of emergency consular assistance should contact the consular emergency centre, she said.
A Dfat spokesperson said: “We extend our deepest sympathies to those affected by the significant flooding in Nepal and Tibet, China.
Earlier, Australia’s ambassador to Nepal, Simon Ernst, had said he was “deeply saddened” by the disaster.
A joint statement issued by the embassies of Australia, Finland, France, Norway, Switzerland and the UK in Nepal, posted on social media overnight by Ernst, said: “We are deeply saddened by the devastating flooding in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts and surrounding areas.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected by this disaster. We express our solidarity with the people of Nepal during this difficult time.
“We encourage all those in affected areas to follow the guidance of local authorities and official safety advisories as the situation continues to evolve.”
