World News
Australia commits extra $3m in flood aid as 42 citizens remain missing near Nepal border
The federal government has announced a second humanitarian package of $3 million as search efforts continue for 42 unaccounted Australians.
Australia has committed a further $3 million in humanitarian aid as 42 Australians remain missing following catastrophic flash floods along the Nepal-China border.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and International Development Minister Anne Aly announced the second tranche of assistance in a joint statement on 30/08/2026.
The commitment brings total Australian government humanitarian support for the disaster to $8 million. The new package includes $2 million for emergency items requested by the Government of Nepal, including hygiene kits and solar lighting.
The Royal Australian Air Force will transport the initial supplies from Queensland in the coming days.
A further $1 million will go to the Emergency Action Alliance appeal. Public donations to the appeal have reached $1.4 million, lifting the federal government's total contribution to the alliance to $2 million.
Twelve Australian personnel, including crisis response staff, consular officers and Australian Federal Police, are now in Kathmandu to assist.
Rescue operations face severe terrain.
The flash floods followed the collapse of a Himalayan glacier on Wednesday. Nearly 3,000 people remain missing across the region and 734 are confirmed dead.
Six of the 42 missing Australians are on the Chinese side of the border, according to Chinese authorities.
Families of the unaccounted travellers have urged authorities to share information and coordinate rescue efforts across jurisdictions.
Aarti Raval said her husband Bhavinkumar Raval disappeared alongside Karan Bhardwaj and Arpan Mithalal Kothari following a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash. She said consular officials declined to confirm whether her husband was among the six located on the Chinese side, citing privacy policies.
The family of Brisbane resident Suhasini Reddy Kandimalla confirmed she remains unaccounted for, disputing overseas media reports that claimed she had been found and hospitalised.
Another relative, Bhavin Patel, travelled to Nepal to search for his wife, Reshma Patel, who went missing with an 11-member Australian group travelling with the Isha Foundation.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has advised Australians to reconsider travel to flood-affected areas.