An Australian woman has made contact with her family, more than two days after she was reported missing in flash flooding in Nepal. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.
At least 469 people have been killed and more than 1,500 are missing after a catastrophic flash flood hit the China-Nepal border on Wednesday. Cara Severino, 25, is the first of 39 Australians reported missing in the tragedy to have been confirmed safe.
But she is still hiking away from the disaster zone, attempting to reach Kathmandu on foot with a group of Nepali hikers – a trek of more than 110km.
Her parents, Debbie and Frank Severino, confirmed in a statement that she had no phone reception, and her own phone had a flat battery, but that she had contacted them on Friday morning to say she was safe.
“She was hiking the Langtang trek and was stranded,” they said in a statement. “With communications down we had no contact.”
“This morning she was able to call us from Gosainkunda where she has been able to reach along with some other [Nepali] hikers. We understand that they are attempting to reach Kathmandu on foot.
“We eagerly await more information about her safe return. We praise God that she has been able to make this brief contact with us. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families awaiting news.”
As of Friday evening, 38 Australians were missing. Of the 35 missing Australians whose details were released by Nepali police, Severino was the only one not listed as travelling with a tour agency.
The others were from four other groups, many of them organised to take part in the Mount Kailash Hindu pilgrimage in the region.
Scale of the disaster
This flood has become one of the largest natural disasters in Nepal and Tibet. Heavy rains in the mountainous regions along the China-Nepal border triggered mudslides that submerged many settlements.
Rescue teams are continuing search operations. Local authorities said that due to damage to communication infrastructure in the disaster zone, it is difficult to determine the exact number of missing persons.
Situation with Australians
The Australian government has set up a special task force in response to the disaster in Nepal and is providing assistance to families of missing citizens. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working closely with Nepali authorities to ensure the safety of citizens.
Many foreign tourists remain stranded in the affected areas. Rescue teams are making every effort to evacuate them.
Information for Kazakhstani citizens
We urge citizens of Kazakhstan to exercise caution when traveling to Nepal. Avoid disaster zones and follow the instructions of local authorities. If necessary, you can contact the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Nepal.