Number of Australians missing in Nepal-Tibet floods rises amid warning of looming crisis
Aid organisations are warning of a looming humanitarian disaster as the death toll continues to rise from catastrophic floods in Nepal and Tibet.
On Friday, the number of people missing in Nepal more than doubled above 2,500, including 41 Australians, after a landslide of ice and rock burst the banks of the Trishuli River on Wednesday. At least 580 people were killed.
Australians are searching for loved ones missing in floods along the Nepal-Tibet border as aid groups warn of a looming humanitarian disaster.
Chinese and Nepalese authorities have warned further flooding may occur, complicating rescue efforts and posing a risk to communities in the area.
The number of Australians confirmed missing rose to 41 on Saturday, but on Friday, one person made contact with their family.
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Several Australians with family in the affected region have flown to assist the search for survivors, combing towns impacted by debris and torrents of mud.
Among them is the husband of NSW mother-of-two Reshma Patel, who was due to touch down in Kathmandu on Friday evening.
Patel was making a pilgrimage with a tour group when the floods began.
Her last known location was an immigration office along the Nepal-Tibet border, which was captured in viral footage that showed it inundated with floodwaters.
"She was inside the big building, which you can see in all the videos that had been hit hard by the floods at the border," family friend Chin Valsan told AAP.
Patel had been travelling with the Isha Foundation for almost two weeks, and was due to catch a flight home to Sydney from Kathmandu on Thursday.
While search-and-rescue operations, aided by Australian officials, are ongoing, charities have banded together to launch a national aid appeal.
The Nepal Flood Disaster Appeal was established by a coalition of 15 Australian charities including Oxfam Australia and Save the Children Australia.
5News aggregated this summary from the outlet’s public feed. The full article, with all the context, is on www.sbs.com.au — the content belongs to SBS News - Latest.
