Aussie found safe as families search for Nepal missing

Family members of Australians missing in the Nepal flood disaster are awaiting news while grappling with a grim reality. Renee Spry, a disability support worker and mother of twin daughters, was on a pilgrimage with the Isha Foundation when the deadly flood hit on Wednesday morning. Her last known location was an immigration office near the Nepal-Tibet border, a scene captured in widely shared footage.

Renee's sister, Clair, described her as a deeply spiritual person who had been eagerly planning her journey to Mount Kailash for a long time. The family remains hopeful, acknowledging the small chance Renee is trapped and seeking help, but they are also realistic, considering she was in the immigration centre just 10 minutes before the wave arrived.

To support Renee and her partner Shaun, along with their twin daughters, the family has set up a GoFundMe page. They have also encouraged donations to Save the Children's relief efforts. The Australian government confirmed that 42 citizens are among the nearly 3,000 people still unaccounted for. Assistant Minister Matt Thistlethwaite expressed that they have not given up hope, citing the case of Cara Severino, who was found safe after making contact with her parents.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to those affected, acknowledging the heartbreak of such a disaster occurring in a place of pilgrimage and holiday.