Australia has deployed a 15-member disaster response team to Nepal to assist search efforts following catastrophic floods that have killed more than 1,200 people, while authorities remain seriously concerned about 36 Australians still missing.
The Australian Disaster Assistance Response Team, comprising mainly specialist drone operators from state emergency services, left for Nepal after receiving a request for assistance from the Nepalese government.
READ ALSO: Australia to Provide $3.6m Aid for Nepal Flood Victims
Jeremy Fewtrell, Commissioner of Fire and Rescue New South Wales, said the team would use specialised drones to search large areas and access locations that could be difficult for rescuers to reach.
He said there was still hope that survivors could be found in isolated areas and that the Australian team had been equipped with technology to support Nepal’s ongoing search operations.
Seven Australian Federal Police specialists in disaster victim identification are also expected to arrive in Nepal to assist with the response.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said 19 Australian personnel were already in Nepal, including consular officials, humanitarian police and defence and police personnel.
The deployment follows a request from Nepal for international assistance in specialised and technical areas as rescue operations continue along the country’s border with China.
More than 1,200 people have been confirmed dead, while about 5,000 remain missing after a glacier collapse triggered devastating floods on August 26. Nepalese authorities said 583 foreign nationals are among those missing.
Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers said two Australians had been confirmed safe overnight, reducing the number of missing citizens from 38 to 36.
“We still have very serious concerns for the 36 Australians that we haven’t been able to locate yet,” Chalmers told ABC News Breakfast.
Nepalese authorities have warned that the chances of finding survivors are declining, although search and rescue operations remain under way.
Some relatives of missing Australians have also travelled to Nepal to assist with efforts to locate their loved ones.
