Australia deploys drones to Nepal as death toll passes 1,200

Australia will deploy a team of drone specialists to support Nepal's search-and-rescue efforts following devastating flash flooding.

The latest figures put the death toll around 1,200, with the number of missing rising to 4,200.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australians must "hold on to hope" as Nepali authorities search areas identified by the Australian government.

Australia is ramping up its humanitarian aid and deploying drone specialists to Nepal as the latest death toll was placed around 1,200, with around 4,200 people still missing.

"We all understand the scale of this disaster; we’ve seen this through the media, the images are harrowing," Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.

"The Nepali authorities have responded by deploying, I think, some 20,000 people in search and rescue."

She said 38 Australians were still missing and the government was deploying a team of 15 specialist drone operators to Nepal to assist in search-and-rescue efforts.

Senator Wong said "we have grave concerns" for the Australians unaccounted-for.

"Those concerns deepen every day, every hour that they remain unaccounted-for," she said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the team will include members from New South Wales Fire and Rescue and the Queensland Fire Department.

"I thank the state governments of New South Wales and Queensland for that," Prime Minister Albanese said, speaking in Palau.

"They’ll leave Australia in the coming days as part of a 15-person disaster assistance response team.

"This adds to the 19 Australian personnel who've already been dispatched to Nepal."

Senator Wong said the operators would use "advanced drone technology to provide mapping and thermal imaging to support Nepal's search and rescue efforts".