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🇫🇯 Fiji /Disasters & Emergencies

Australian disaster team joins Nepal search for flood survivors

From FBC News · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • A 15-member Australian disaster response team has left for Nepal to help search for survivors after deadly floods and a mudslide.
  • More than 1,200 people have died and about 5,000 remain missing after a glacier collapse triggered the floods on Aug. 26.
  • Australia says 36 of its citizens remain missing, while police disaster victim identification specialists are due to arrive Saturday.

Australia has sent disaster response specialists to Nepal to join the search for survivors after catastrophic Himalayan floods, as concern grows for 36 Australians still missing.

The 15-member Australian Disaster Assistance Response Team left on Friday after Nepal requested specialised help. The team consists mainly of drone pilots from state emergency services. Seven Australian Federal Police specialists in disaster victim identification are expected to arrive on Saturday.

More than 1,200 people have been confirmed dead and about 5,000 remain missing after a glacier collapse triggered floods and a mudslide on Aug. 26. Nepal’s government says 583 foreign nationals are among those unaccounted for. Local authorities have warned that the chances of finding survivors are fading, but rescue teams continue working along the border with China.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said 19 Australians were already in Nepal, including consular officers and humanitarian, defence and police personnel. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said on Friday that 36 Australians remained missing after two were confirmed safe overnight. Some relatives have travelled to Nepal to conduct their own searches, Australian media reported.

serious concerns

· Australian governmentThe government expressed concern about the welfare of Australians missing in Nepal.
About this summary

Originally published by FBC News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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