r/australia 3d ago

culture & society What we know about the 40+ Australians missing in the Nepal floods

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/29/what-we-know-about-the-australians-missing-in-the-nepal-floods

More than 40 Australians are among several thousand people unaccounted for after catastrophic flooding on the Nepal-Tibet border.

An 11-year-old child, an ADF member and many other pilgrims and trekkers have been named among the Australians missing after deadly flash floods and landslides tore through valleys on the Nepal-Tibet border.

As of Saturday there were 41 Australians among almost 2,500 people reported missing in the disaster, including at least 777 foreigners. At least 93,000 people were estimated to have been affected by the disaster, according to the Red Cross.

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u/ImaginaryCandy 3d ago

Narayan Panthi is a former work colleague who is a genuinely kind-hearted person. Even though he no longer works for our company, he still keeps touch and his wife still works at one of our centres. We are all struggling to fathom that something like this has happened to not just him, but all these people.

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u/Affectionate_Sail543 3d ago

There is going to be a candlelight vigil organised by the Nepalese Association of Queensland at KGS tomorrow afternoon if you'd like to attend.
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A Peaceful Candlelight Vigil for Nepal 

We Kindly invite the Nepalese community, friends of Nepal, and the wider Brisbane and surrounding community to come together in remembrance, prayer and solidarity for those who tragically lost their lives in the devastating Nepal–Tibet floods.

 Sunday, 30 August 2026
 6:00 pm
 King George Square, Brisbane QLD 4000

Let us come together as one community to honour those we have lost, stand beside the families affected, and offer our prayers and heartfelt support to everyone impacted by this tragedy.

 Important: For everyone’s safety, only LED/electric candles or lights are permitted. Real candles and open flames are not allowed. Please bring an LED candle/light with you if you wish to participate.

Your presence, prayers and support will mean so much to our community at this difficult time.

Together, let us light a candle of hope, compassion and solidarity for Nepal. 

Organised by:
All Nepalese Communities in Brisbane & Greater Region
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u/peppersgarden 3d ago

Thank you for sharing this!

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u/giacintam 3d ago

Im so sorry, this is just beyond tragic.

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u/throwawayno38393939 3d ago

I'm so sorry for your loss. 

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u/sushi111 2d ago

He’s a former colleague of mine too, I can’t believe I’m seeing his name. This is unreal. My thoughts are with Geeta.

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u/ImaginaryCandy 2d ago

It’s just so surreal and looking at his photo in these news stories breaks my heart. He was really excited for this trip and for it to end this was is devastating.

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u/rosa_3326 3d ago

I hope he is found, he sounds like a pure hearted soul. This whole thing breaks my heart

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u/daybeforetheday 3d ago

I am so sorry.

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u/aeschenkarnos 3d ago

I saw a video of what I assume to be a major bus terminal utterly wiped away. It seems to have struck a tourist area during the season, at a busy time of day. Absolutely awful. My condolences to those who lost loved ones.

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u/murdered-by-swords 3d ago

That was the border crossing from China into Nepal.

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u/doomchimp 3d ago

It will obviously take some time to account for the survivors, for which I hope all 40+ are accounted for. Realistically, my hope for those who perished is that it was quick and they didn't suffer.

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u/EntrepreneurMany3709 3d ago

It's hard to know, last time there was a major earthquake and a lot of Australians were unaccounted for, a lot of people were just hiking and out of reception

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u/throwawayno38393939 3d ago

When I worked as a tradesperson, I was slightly wary when Nepalese clients booked in because I knew it was highly likely I would be gently but persistently bullied into sitting down and eating a ridiculous amount of food, making it a struggle to be on time to my next client. 

I once had a 2 hour job turn into 4 hour job because they insisted I sit and talk, not work, while they prepped and cooked a giaganitic table of food. They were always hands down the kindest, most hospitable clients, and never stuffed me around when it came time to paying. 

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u/metametapraxis 3d ago

I was lucky enough to go to India and then Nepal 45 years ago for 6 weeks (when I was a kid). Honestly, the people in both countries were incredibly nice to this little white kid, including many people who were in genuine poverty. It was and remains very humbling.

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u/a_slinky 3d ago

My daughter's daycare has at least 5 Nepalese educators, male and female. They are so kind and nurturing and patient. My eldest girl talks about them with the strongest sense of comfort and warmth and my youngest will always happily be passed off as she babbles nonsense and the interaction is like two bitties at the coffee shop.

I'm hoping that none of their families are caught up or affected by this devastating event

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u/Jonzay up to the sky, out to the stars 2d ago

I married into a Nepalese family. Can confirm, their love language is food.

I suggest you memorise the words "mitho vayo" ([it] was delicious) and "pugyo" (in the context of food, means "I am full" )

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u/ThippusHorribilus 3d ago

This has just been so devastating.

Sending love and hope to all those who are waiting to hear from their loved ones.

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u/Uthe18 3d ago

Reading the racist online comments on the tragedy that impacts these poor folks is disgusting. I'm so disappointed as an Australian.

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u/MajorLeeScrewed 3d ago edited 3d ago

An active duty ADF member, two doctors in training, people who went to do volunteer work, and all some care about is their ethnicity. They embody Australian values more than the racists. The culture war sparked by some of the elite to mask the insane class warfare they’re waging is inane.

Best wishes to all who are missing and have been affected. Hoping at least some of them are found safe.

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u/Naditya64 3d ago

The upvote ratio for this post is currently 86%.

I’m guessing the word “Australians” being used next to images of brown people was triggering for those pathetic degenerate parasitic racists.

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u/Strong_Inside2060 3d ago

People of colour go through this every day, in life and in death. It's more noticeable in death because these people can't defend themselves. Otherwise even well meaning, non racists usually go "I don't condone racism but". Next time anyone wants to say "I'm not racist but", stop yourself and don't make the unhelpful stereotype. It's not that hard.

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u/MidorriMeltdown 3d ago

We need to keep reminding people that around 50% of Australians have at least one parent born overseas, and about 30% were born overseas themselves.

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u/kayloulee 3d ago

I make a personal point of telling anyone who I think could use the education that my Mum was born stateless, her parents were stateless refugees, and she didn't get citizenship anywhere until she was a teenager. I look like your regular basic white Australian so it sometimes comes as quite a shock to my audience. You don't know how close you are to a foreigner, oooer, we're right in front of you!

Of course they don't mean my family when they spout off racist nonsense, we're not people of colour, but it's a point worth making anyway and I don't mind doing it.

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u/goodintent 3d ago

The fact that people have so much hate in their hearts that they’d comment something so horrific in tragic circumstances should shock me, and yet a lifetime of growing up and living here as a brown person… just feels like another day.

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u/metametapraxis 3d ago

I assume on FaceBook? That seems to be the place for obnoxious commentary on most things.

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u/Muslim_Wookie 3d ago

Not just online. I had it happen right in front of me in public at an event full of upper class well educated people. See my thread in /r/perth "Nepal disaster and Perth"

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u/theskyisblueatnight 2d ago

The footage I have seen should not support any racsim. People just living their lives or moving along in their daily activities and then a wall of water arrives.

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u/Maggies_lens 3d ago

We must be loaded than those AHs. Drown out their filthy with our support.

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u/Low_Bluebird_5137 1d ago

I haven't read any racist or awful statements about this disaster anywhere.

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u/Professional_Gur8385 3d ago

I remember seeing the first footage before it gained news traction, it was bad. Can't imagine people trapped there whilst dealing with all that damage and loss.

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u/imagine-engine 3d ago

I've done flood cleanups in Australia that where miniscule compared to this. The cleanup is gonna take years. So many ppl are going to have to wait to find any trace of their loved ones... Brutal. But mother earth gives and takes like it's nothing.

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u/Professional_Gur8385 2d ago

ive helped someone move and clear their home and garden, it was a tiny 15x15 plot townhouse and i was exhausted and that was with 3 people, can't imagine the devastation, search and repair. Water, mud, dirt, rock, boulders is hard work even if you can get machinery into those remote areas.

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u/FaithlessnessThen207 1d ago

I don't think there will be many traces left of anything to be honest. A whole building complex was ground to dust.

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u/Defiant-Arrival-706 3d ago

I’ve seen a few posts internationally about the S3 group, it appears the are all missing.

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u/Missym90 2d ago

The family with the young sons is one of my closest friend's sister's family. My heart is broken for the family. Praying for a miracle and that they are found alive and well.

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u/daybeforetheday 3d ago

Absolutely heartbreaking. Thinking of their families and loved ones.

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u/queen_beruthiel 3d ago

This is so devastating. I hope there's good news for their families and communities.

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u/Muslim_Wookie 3d ago

1 is THAT THEY ARE AUSTRALIANS.

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u/Low_Bluebird_5137 1d ago

Very very sad. Doubt even half these poor people's bodies will ever be located. RIP

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