Cara Severino, 26, a hiker from Wollongong, New South Wales, has been located by Australian embassy officials in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, after being among those missing following a flash flood triggered by an ice avalanche. Severino had been hiking in the Himalayas when the disaster struck on Wednesday morning.
Australian embassy staff located Severino on Sunday, two days after she was able to make contact with authorities. She had been near Langtang when the flooding occurred and survived by joining a group fleeing on a tractor within a nearby national park. "Grateful to the crew we formed on that first day when we entered the national park on a tractor," Severino said in a statement. "Sudha, Lucas, Samir and Saugat - thanks to them I got out safely."
Her parents, Debbie and Frank Severino, described her rescue as a "miracle" and expressed profound gratitude to the Australian Consular Response teams and her Nepalese hiking partners. "This is a rare piece of positive news amid a disaster that has brought immense loss and uncertainty," said Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
At least 42 Australians are among the nearly 3,000 people reported missing in the disaster that has affected central Nepal and Tibet. Local authorities confirmed 768 deaths as of Sunday evening Australian time. Many of the missing Australians were on pilgrimages to Mount Kailash.
While Severino's rescue offers a glimmer of hope, many families are still awaiting news. Loved ones of Michael Keats, from Mollymook on the NSW South Coast, gathered on a beach to pray for his safe return. Keats is among the dozens of Australians whose whereabouts are unknown.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is operating a 24-hour emergency hotline for those seeking information. Australians can be reached domestically at 1300 555 135 or from overseas at +61 2 6261 3305.