{"id":871608,"date":"2026-08-28T15:48:30","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T15:48:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/871608\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T15:48:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T15:48:30","slug":"nepal-flooding-disaster-familys-elation-amid-the-agony-as-cara-severino-makes-contact-with-parents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/871608\/","title":{"rendered":"Nepal flooding disaster: Family\u2019s elation amid the agony as Cara Severino makes contact with parents"},"content":{"rendered":"

Parents of an Australian tourist found alive in Nepal on Friday have \u201cpraised God\u201d after hearing from her for the first time since devastating floods swept through the country\u2019s north killing at least 552 people.<\/p>\n

26-year-old Cara Severino, from NSW, was hiking in the Langtan National Park when the floods crashed through the region on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

She made contact with her parents, Debbie and Frank Severino, on Friday morning.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe understand that (the hiking group) are attempting to reach Kathmandu on foot. We eagerly await more information about her safe return,\u201d her parents said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe praise God that she has been able to make this brief contact with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade were tirelessly trying to find the 26-year-old on Friday.<\/p>\n

\u201cDFAT is urgently working to get in touch with an Australian who has made contact with their family so DFAT can provide consular assistance,\u201d a statement read.<\/p>\n

\"ACamera IconA flood-affected area in Nuwakot, Nepal. Credit: NurPhoto\/Getty Images\"SatelliteCamera IconSatellite imagery reveals the aftermath of the devastating floods along the Nepal-China border. Credit: Satellite image \u00a92026 Vantor<\/p>\n

\u201cWe understand that they were last reported in a remote area, several days hike from Kathmandu. DFAT is urgently engaging with local authorities on plans to assist them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith that Australian accounted for by their family, there are now 38 Australians unaccounted for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nepali authorities said at least 547 people have been killed in Nepal and five in Tibet as of Friday afternoon and 1,473 people have been injured, with more than 1500 still missing, including 38 Australians for whom grave fears continue to be held.<\/p>\n

Red Cross warned nearly 100,000 people have been effected in some way.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe that at least 93,000 people have been affected and are in great need,\u201d David Fisher, head of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Nepal said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe trauma of this event is enormous.\u201d<\/p>\n

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said 3,253 people had been saved from the destruction but new flood fears are threatening to derail rescue efforts.<\/p>\n

A \u201cbarrier lake\u201d formed by mud and debris begun to overflow on Friday forcing authorities to suspend search operations at the Nepal-Tibet border.<\/p>\n

Nepal and China both issued warnings about an increased flood risk in the Himalayas as 3 million cubic metres of water are expected to flow into the lake over the next three days.<\/p>\n

Satellite images of the region before and after the disaster showed the scale of devastation and masses of brown water accumulating in a basin with no visible outlet.<\/p>\n

\"MissingCamera IconMissing Australians in the Nepal floods have been publicly identified – Sreedharan Iyer, 52, Lakshmi Iyer, 50, and their sons Rishab Iyer, 23, and Rudhra Iyer, 20, from Cherrybrook in Sydney’s north-west. Credit: Unknown\/Supplied\"MissingCamera IconMissing Australians in the Nepal floods have been publicly identified – Chitra Venkatraman, 46, and Venkatraman Balakrishnan, 52, a married couple from Western Sydney. Credit: Unknown\/Supplied<\/p>\n

Those in the area have been urged to seek higher ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cResidents of the lower banks … passengers, rescuers engaged in rescue operations, and all concerned are requested to exercise special caution and stay in safe places away from the river banks and risky areas,\u201d the authority\u2019s statement read.<\/p>\n

Adding to the concern a new glacial slip was detected in the Himalayan border region resulting in about 50,000 cubic metres of ice and debris falling into the barrier lake.<\/p>\n

Early on Friday, Australia confirmed a $5 million assistance package for communities along the Nepal-Tibet border.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have $2 million going to the World Food Programme, $2 million going through other agencies, Australian agencies, and a million dollars to Emergency Action Alliance and people are able to donate to that as well if they wish,\u201d Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.<\/p>\n

The Minister offered her support to the Australian families of those currently missing in Nepal and Tibet, saying \u201cour thoughts are with you\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the first hours after the disaster, we identified some 35 Australians who were missing. We now have some 39 Australians who we know were in the region and have not been accounted for,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are working as hard as we are able to ascertain their whereabouts and their well being. These are an additional four who were not associated with the two tour groups that I described yesterday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re obviously continuing to take calls from families and friends of anyone who is in the region to make sure we are aware of any Australians who might be there, that work is continuing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do want to say to the family and friends of the 39 Australians who we know at this stage are not accounted for, our thoughts are with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"OutdoorCamera IconOutdoor education leader Michael Keats named among 39 Australians missing in Nepal floods. Credit: Unknown\/Facebook\"MissingCamera IconMissing Australians in the Nepal floods have been publicly identified – Sumi Adhikari, 41. Credit: Unknown\/Supplied<\/p>\n

Most of the 38 Australians reported missing were part of pilgrimage groups including outdoor education leader Michael Keats, 37.<\/p>\n

Mr Keats was part of a group with the Trekkers\u2019 Society which included fellow Australians Luke Costanzo, Sum Adhikari, Bharat Mangnani, Therese Spry and Uday and Kripa Shivamurthy.<\/p>\n

Mr Keats\u2019 sister, Karen Hayley, took to social media in a desperate plea to urge anyone with information to reach out to their family.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is still hope and we are holding onto that with everything we have,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cTime feels suspended somewhere between hope, prayer, fear and heartbreak.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing else matters but bringing him home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tour group Kailash Journey has confirmed six Australians are among their missing travel group. That is in addition to one missing Australian travelling with Kathmandu Holiday Tours and Travels, and 15 who were travelling with US-based tour group Himalayan Glacier Adventures.<\/p>\n

Shylaja Muralitharan, 42, her husband, Chandrasekaran Muralitharan, 47, and their two sons, Ashwin, 14 and Aarush, 11, are part of the 15 missing from the Himalayan Glacier Adventures group.<\/p>\n

\"MissingCamera IconMissing Australians in the Nepal floods have been publicly identified – Kanagamah Sundrasan, from Queensland. Credit: Unknown\/Supplied\"MissingCamera IconMissing Australians in the Nepal floods have been publicly identified – Reshma Patel, 46, from Rankin Park near Newcastle. Credit: Unknown\/Supplied<\/p>\n

Ms Muralitharan\u2019s sister Vaishnavi, who did not want her last name published, said on Friday that they last spoke to the north-west Sydney family on Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were getting ready to have breakfast and waiting to go to the border to pass immigration … we couldn\u2019t reach them after that,\u201d she told the ABC.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe haven\u2019t heard anything more.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said her extended family was \u201cdistressed and anxious\u201d as they waited for news.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to keep our hope up that they\u2019re OK and waiting to be rescued,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Vaishnavi said her sister and husband had \u201cwanted their children to share the experience\u201d of the pilgrimage.<\/p>\n

\u201cFamily is very important for them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The friends and family of Reshma Patel, a Newcastle woman who is missing in Nepal, have pleaded for information after they lost contact with her on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Ms Patel, 46, was at the immigration office on the Tibet-Nepal border on August 26 about \u201c10 minutes before the impact\u201d, Chin Valsan posted on Facebook.<\/p>\n

\"ResidentsCamera IconResidents carry their belongings along a road heavily covered in mud following flash floods on August 27, 2026 in Trishuli, Nepal. Credit: Ezra Acayan\/Getty Images\"AnCamera IconAn injured child is treated at a field hospital inside a military camp, following flash floods on August 27, 2026 in Trishuli, Nepal. Credit: Ezra Acayan\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was travelling back home after visiting the Kailash Mansarovar temple. She was with the Isha foundation pilgrimage group,\u201d Ms Valsan posted on Facebook.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf anyone has seen Reshma, has travelled with her, has information about her whereabouts, or has any contacts with local authorities, hospitals, rescue teams, tour operators, or pilgrimage groups in the region, please contact the family immediately or notify the nearest police authority.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her husband, Bhavin Patel, has caught a flight to Nepal and will land in Kathmandu on Friday night to help search for his wife.<\/p>\n

Other Australians known to be missing include Umesh and Krishna Sharma who\u2019s son, Chitrak, is desperately trying to reach them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just trying to get in touch with my parents. I just want to know that they\u2019re ok,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just want to hear their voice again. I just want to talk to them again. I want to see them again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Family of four Rishab Iyer, 23, Rudhra Sreesharan Iyer, 20, Sreedharan Iyer Iyer, 52 and Lakshmi Sreedharan Iyer, 50, also remain missing.<\/p>\n

Their family friend, Nisha Khadka, said on Facebook some from that family were last known to have been in Kathmandu before the disaster.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf anyone has seen them, has any information about their whereabouts, or has found them safe, please contact me as soon as possible,\u201d Ms Khadka wrote.<\/p>\n

Western Sydney couple Venkatraman Balakrishnan and Chitra Venkatraman are also among the large Australian contingent.<\/p>\n

Their son has revealed he last spoke with his parents when they were near the Nepalese border.<\/p>\n

As coordinated efforts continue on the ground in Nepal, ATVGP Medical has joined forces with the Nepali Association of Western Australia to send a range of medical supplies and equipment to the flood-ravage country.<\/p>\n

The company develops all-terrain vehicles that are medically equipped for a range of environments in humanitarian disaster zones.<\/p>\n

Now the Perth-owned company is coordinating its own piece of humanitarian effort at home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a massive supply of medical sundries and equipment,\u201d chief executive Terrence Dewar said.<\/p>\n

Mr Dewar said efforts on the ground have so far been really well-coordinated.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve always seen in our experience, it\u2019s never enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Community members gathered on Friday night to set priorities for buying, labelling, assembling and packing supplies.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe stockpile of stuff we have ranges from bandages, first aid equipment, airway equipment and trauma equipment,\u201d Mr Dewar said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a community in need. We\u2019re here to help, every hour counts. The quicker we get out there the better.\u201d<\/p>\n

They hope to be airlifting aid packages as early as Monday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Parents of an Australian tourist found alive in Nepal on Friday have \u201cpraised God\u201d after hearing from her…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":871609,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[64,63,44],"class_list":["post-871608","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-australia","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871608","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=871608"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871608\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/871609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=871608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=871608"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=871608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}