Thirty-five Australians are among those unaccounted for following catastrophic flash flooding that struck the Nepal-Tibet border region on Wednesday morning, according to Nepal's Tourism Board. The disaster has claimed nearly 400 lives across the region, with search and rescue operations continuing amid challenging terrain and widespread devastation.
Among those missing are Shylaja Muralitharan, 42, her husband Chandrasekaran Muralitharan, 47, and their two sons Ashwin, 14, and Aarush, 11, from Sydney. The family was participating in a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet as part of the Himalayan Glacier Adventures tour group when the flooding occurred.
What do relatives say about the missing?
Shylaja's younger sister, Vaishnavi, expressed both concern and determination to keep hope alive.
Just like everyone else that's part of that group, we're really worried, but hopeful. Hopeful that they're safe, and just waiting to be rescued.She described the ordeal as an extraordinarily difficult time for the entire family and emphasised the need for public awareness about those still missing.
It's a very difficult time for our whole family … I just want to make people aware that they're there, and we're waiting, and we just want them to return.
Vaishnavi confirmed that the family had been training extensively for the demanding trek and had been preparing for some time.
They had been planning for some time, and preparing, because it's quite a trek. They were all working very hard together to make sure they could successfully complete it. We just didn't expect anything like this.
She expressed frustration about the lack of transparent communication regarding rescue efforts.
We do want to know what efforts are being made … we're not aware of what is actually happening there.Vaishnavi has been in contact with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade seeking clarity on the response.
Which other Australians are unaccounted for?
Several distinct groups of Australians travelling on different tours remain missing. A 15-member contingent from Sydney was part of the Himalayan Glacier Adventures group heading to Mount Kailash. This group included New South Wales couple Venkatraman Balakrishnan, 52, and his wife Chitra Venkatraman, 46, as well as Sreedharan and Lakshmi Iyer and their adult sons Rishab, 23, and Rudhra, 20.
Rishab and Rudhra Iyer played cricket for West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook Cricket Club in Sydney's north-west. The club released a statement acknowledging the situation:
WPHCCC is aware of the reports that two of our players, Rishab and Rudhra Iyer, along with their family members and other Australians, are unaccounted for in the ongoing floods in Nepal. We continue to live in hope, and our thoughts are currently with them, their loved ones and all affected by this tragedy in Nepal.
Beyond the Himalayan Glacier Adventures group, separate contingents of Australians travelling with other tour operators are also missing. Eleven Australians were part of a group organised by Trekkers Society, while six travelled with Kailash Journeys. Both companies have been approached for additional information. Several other Australians were on tours with different operators. The majority of missing Australians are from New South Wales, though some are from Victoria and Queensland.
What happened during the flooding?
The disaster was triggered by a glacial collapse and avalanche of ice and rock in the Nepal-Tibet border region. The resulting flash flood swept through villages and communities along the border with devastating force. According to Nepal police and tourism authorities, 389 people have been confirmed dead, with 466 injured and rescued.
Sagar Pandey, founder and chief executive of Himalayan Glacier Adventures, described the scale of destruction after surveying the affected area by helicopter.
To be honest … you would think there was no human civilisation there at all. The flash flood swept away everything, everything, you couldn't see any human creations.Despite this grim assessment, Pandey acknowledged maintaining a sliver of hope.
Still, I have a hope, but like 1%; the rest I don't have a hope, they are missing and missing and missing.His tour group of 47 people, which included the 15 Australians, lost all contact following the flood.
The Isha Foundation confirmed that 11 Australians were among a group of 80 missing pilgrims sheltering in an immigration building when the flood struck. The scale of the disaster extends well beyond Australian citizens. Chinese state media reported 558 people missing in Tibet's Gyirong county, including 260 foreign nationals, while Nepalese officials indicated that hundreds of foreigners from India, the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia are among those unaccounted for.
What is the Australian government doing?
Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced on Friday that the Australian government was mobilising a comprehensive response to the crisis.
We understand at least 39 Australians are among those reported missing. Australian officials are working urgently to confirm their welfare and provide assistance to those affected.She acknowledged the extraordinary challenges posed by the disaster's scale and the remote location of affected areas.
Wong confirmed that an initial team of three humanitarian response specialists would be deployed within 48 hours to support Australian staff already on the ground.
The extraordinary scale of this disaster and the remoteness of the affected region mean immense challenges lie ahead for the response and recovery.
What happens next?
Australian officials continue working urgently to confirm the welfare of citizens in the affected region, though no firm public timeline for further updates has been announced. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with helicopter rescues and joint efforts by police and military personnel active in flood-hit areas. The focus remains on locating missing persons and providing humanitarian assistance to survivors in one of the most challenging environments in the world.
