Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says five more Australians have been confirmed safe following the catastrophic floods in Nepal, but 38 Australians remain unaccounted for as Australia expands its search and rescue assistance.
Mr Albanese said the latest confirmations represented positive news amid the ongoing disaster, but warned that authorities continued to have grave concerns for those still missing.
“Today, another five Australians have been confirmed safe, but that still means that the number of Australians unaccounted for is 38, down from 43 yesterday,” Mr Albanese said.
“That’s 38 families, 38 people who we hold grave fears for. We hope, of course, for positive news further, and we’re doing everything we can to work with authorities.”
Australia has deployed further specialist personnel to support Nepal’s search and rescue operations, including a team of drone operators from Fire and Rescue New South Wales and the Queensland Fire Department.
The specialists will form part of a 15-person Disaster Assistance Response Team and use advanced drone technology to provide rapid mapping and aerial imaging to assist Nepali authorities in search operations.
The deployment follows a request from the Government of Nepal and comes on top of Australian personnel already working in the country.
The Australian Government said 19 Australian personnel had been dispatched to Nepal to support the crisis response, including consular and humanitarian officers, Australian Federal Police and Defence personnel.
A Royal Australian Air Force C-17 aircraft is also transporting humanitarian supplies and equipment to Nepal as part of Australia’s broader response.
Mr Albanese said the aircraft had either landed or was about to land in Nepal carrying assistance for communities affected by the disaster.
The search and recovery effort continues to face major challenges, with authorities reporting difficult communications, destroyed infrastructure and limited access to some affected areas.
Australia has also increased its humanitarian assistance, announcing a further $3 million to match donations made by Australians to the Emergency Action Alliance.
More than $4 million has now been donated publicly to the appeal.
The additional funding will support the provision of shelter, water, sanitation and healthcare, as well as temporary learning spaces for children affected by the disaster.
The latest contribution brings Australia’s total humanitarian support for the disaster to $11 million.
Australian officials continue to work with authorities in Nepal and China to establish the whereabouts of the Australians who remain unaccounted for and to support their families.
“Our thoughts remain with all those waiting for news of family and friends, and with the search and rescue teams working in extraordinarily difficult circumstances,” the Australian Government said.
The government said it would continue working with Nepal to provide further search, rescue and recovery assistance where required.
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