The Australian Government has announced a $5 million humanitarian assistance package as at least 39 Australians remain reported missing following catastrophic floods along the Nepal-China border.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong and International Development Minister Anne Aly said Australia was rapidly mobilising consular and humanitarian support as rescue and recovery efforts continued in the disaster-hit region.
The $5 million package will be distributed through established humanitarian partners:
- $2 million to the World Food Programme for emergency food supplies and logistics support.
- $2 million through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership to provide emergency shelter, hygiene kits, blankets, medical assistance and psychosocial support.
- $1 million to the Emergency Action Alliance for locally led recovery and rehabilitation.
The Government said the floods had devastated communities on both sides of the border, sweeping away villages, destroying roads and bridges and leaving thousands of people displaced.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is deploying additional personnel to support Australians affected by the disaster.
A Crisis Response Team member and a Regional Consular Officer are already on the ground in Kathmandu, with further regional and crisis-response personnel being prepared for deployment.
Australia will also send an initial team of three humanitarian response specialists within 48 hours through the Australia Assists program. The specialists will provide expertise in humanitarian assessment, logistics, communications and planning.
The Government said the remoteness of the affected region and the destruction of critical infrastructure were creating major challenges for rescue and recovery operations.
The latest figure of 39 missing Australians represents an increase from earlier estimates as authorities continue reconciling information from tour operators and local authorities. Wong said officials were working urgently to establish the welfare of those missing.
The disaster has also triggered urgent appeals from Indian-Australian families in Sydney and Melbourne, with several families still waiting for information about relatives who travelled to the Himalayan region for trekking and religious pilgrimages.
The Australian Government has urged Australians in the affected region to follow local authorities’ instructions and has called on those with information about missing Australians to contact DFAT.
Australians requiring emergency consular assistance can contact the DFAT Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135, or +61 2 6261 3305 when calling from overseas.
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