A 26-year-old Australian woman has described her fight for survival after being caught up in devastating flash floods in Nepal. Cara Severino is one of 42 Australians who were deemed missing following the disaster that struck at the Nepal-Tibet border last Wednesday, and she is the only one to have been found.
The New South Wales woman had been hiking through the Himalayas when an ice avalanche triggered a huge deluge, sweeping through the region. As floodwaters surged, Severino joined forces with other people trying to escape on a tractor. She was eventually rescued by Australian embassy officials, who came to her aid in a four-wheel drive days later.
Survivor thanks those who helped her
Speaking about her ordeal, Severino paid tribute to the people who helped her survive. "Grateful to the crew we formed on that first day when we entered the national park on a tractor," she said. "Sudha, Lucas, Samir, and Saugat - thanks to them I got out safely."
She also spoke of the heartbreaking devastation she witnessed during her escape. "My heart goes out to all the Nepalese hikers who lost their life and towns," she said. "We passed a guy hiking up to Thulu Safru who lost his whole family when their whole town was destroyed. It's just so devastating and undeserving."
Thousands still missing
While Severino managed to find her way to safety, thousands still remain missing as search and rescue operations continue. Almost 3,000 people remain missing five days after the disaster, while Nepali and Chinese authorities confirmed an updated death toll of at least 810 on Sunday.
A total of 15 British nationals are reported to be missing in China. The missing Britons make up just a few of the 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries reported missing in the Tibet Autonomous Region, as per figures released by Chinese authorities.
Concerns over transparency
Chinese authorities have said at least 16 people have died on their side of the border, but concerns have been raised about a lack of transparency as sharing footage from last Wednesday's horror floods has been banned.
On the Nepal side of the border, 33 British people had already been declared missing. That brings the total number of missing British nationals between Tibet and Nepal to a total of 48. Police in Nepal said 794 people in total had been confirmed dead and at least 2,742 injured.
Several areas remain at risk of further flooding, with people who have returned home warned to stay alert and be ready to evacuate again at short notice.
