Townsville mum, Sydney dad among Australians missing in Nepal
A Townsville mother and a Sydney father are among dozens of Australians missing in Nepal following last week's deadly flooding.
The flood disaster has left 43 Australians unaccounted for in the Nepal-Tibet border region. Among them are Renee Spry, a Townsville mother of two, and Sydney IT worker Gopi Krishna Naidu Agastya. Ms Spry, aged in her early 50s, was at the Gyirong Port on the Nepal-Tibet border just minutes before the flash floods struck. She was on her way home from a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash when the disaster occurred.
Her sister, Clair Spry, is anxiously awaiting news of her sister's safety, praying for her and the Nepalese people. Mr Agastya, a father of two, was at an immigration building on the Gyirong border crossing when the flood hit. His wife, children, family, and friends are anxiously waiting for news of his safety. The tragedy has deeply affected many Nepali families, particularly in remote areas of Australia.
Madhu Banthee, a resident of Santa Teresa, a town south-east of Alice Springs, has lost five families in the region, including his best friend. Despite the immense grief, Banthee remains hopeful for miracles, citing numerous accounts of divine intervention. The Australian government has pledged to increase its humanitarian assistance for Nepal to $8 million, primarily for hygiene kits and solar lights, as communication and power infrastructure have been severely damaged by the floods.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
