Australia Sends Search Team to Nepal After Floods

The Australian Disaster Assistance Response Team, primarily composed of specialist drone operators from Fire and Rescue New South Wales, has been deployed to Nepal in response to a request from the Nepalese government for international assistance. Jeremy Fewtrell, Commissioner of Fire and Rescue New South Wales, stated that the team will utilize specialized drones to search extensive areas and reach difficult locations.

The deployment comes after a glacier collapse on August 26 triggered catastrophic floods, resulting in over 1,200 confirmed deaths and approximately 5,000 individuals reported missing, including 583 foreign nationals. Additionally, seven Australian Federal Police specialists in disaster victim identification are expected to arrive in Nepal to aid the ongoing response.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong noted that 19 Australian personnel were already in Nepal, including consular officials and police officers. Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers confirmed that two Australians were safe, reducing the number of missing citizens from 38 to 36, while Nepalese authorities warned that the chances of finding survivors are diminishing.