‘We are beyond relieved and so elated to have Cara safe and well and we can’t wait to hold her in our loving arms,’ they said.
Miracle survivor of Nepal flood disaster speaks out – as friends and family of missing Aussie hiker gather on beach to pray he is found alive
Cara Severino went missing in Nepal’s floods
She was found alive by Australian authorities
READ MORE: Chinese rescue team find Nepal border station was swept away
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The only missing Australian found, so far, in Nepal’s horrific flash flood revealed she was rescued by embassy officials in a four-wheel drive after spending days on a tractor.
Cara Severino, 26, was pictured alongside Australian embassy staff in the Nepal capital Kathmandu on Sunday, after making contact with authorities less than 48 hours prior.
The Wollongong, NSW native was hiking through the Himalayas when the devastating flood triggered by an ice avalanche struck the region on Wednesday morning, local time.
The latest information from local authorities indicates at least 42 Australians are among the almost 3,000 people missing in the disaster.
Nepal Police at 7pm on Sunday (AEST) confirmed 768 deaths.
Ms Severino was near Langtang National Park when flooding hit, and she survived by forming a group with others who were fleeing the havoc on a tractor.
‘Grateful to the crew we formed on that first day when we entered the national park on a tractor,’ Ms Severino said in a statement on Sunday.
‘Sudha, Lucas, Samir and Saugat – thanks to them I got out safely.
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Cara Seravino (third from left) with other hikers and DFAT officials on Sunday
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Ms Severino (above) was found by Australian embassy staff on Sunday after contacting them hours earlier
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At least 42 Australians are among the almost 3,000 people missing in central Nepal and Tibet (pictured is a noticeboard outside a hospital in Kathmandu)
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‘My heart goes out to all the Nepalese hikers who lost their life and towns.
‘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.
‘I feel for the families of those still missing, I know how much my family and friends went through.
‘Blessed to be from Australia and have the embassy and Australian government giving so much support.’
Also on Sunday, loved ones of fellow Australian Michael Keats, who remains missing, gathered on a beach on the NSW South Coast to pray for his safe return.
Dozens of family and friends cried and hugged one another while desperately hoping for Mr Keats, from Mollymook, to be found.
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Michael Keats (above), from the NSW South Coast, is among the Australians missing in Nepal
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Mr Keat’s loved ones (above) gathered on a beach on the South Coast to pray for his safe return on Sunday
It’s understood Ms Severino was able to make contact with Australian authorities on Friday and a team collected her from the national park on Sunday.
Australian staff were organising her safe return home as of Sunday afternoon.
Ms Severino’s parents, Debbie and Frank, described her discovery as a ‘miracle’.
‘Seeing Cara’s name appear on my message bank, hearing her voice and now seeing her photo and speaking with her has been the most miraculous gift,’ they said in a statement.
‘We are incredibly thankful to the Australian Consular Response teams for locating her, bringing her to safety and for the care they are giving her and all the amazing work they are doing to locate others.
‘We are so grateful to her Nepalese hiking partners who saw her through a harrowing several days of hiking in very difficult terrain, so thankful that they have all made it to safety.
‘The scale of this tragedy is staggering and amidst our personal joy we continue to stand in prayer with the many families here in Australia, in Nepal and around the world who have lost loved ones or are still waiting to hear from them, we know that the waiting is horrendous.’
The loving parents were counting down the moments until they could hold their daughter back in Australia.
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Ms Severino (above) had travelled through a national park on a tractor before meeting with Australian embassy staff in Nepal
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Nepalese authorities are desperately working to find survivors in the chaotic scenes
Read More
New video reveals the moment hikers witnessed collapse of giant glacier causing Nepal flash floods
‘We are beyond relieved and so elated to have Cara safe and well and we can’t wait to hold her in our loving arms,’ they said.
‘This morning we are being enfolded in love by our church family who, along with so many of our family and friends, have been praying with us for this miracle.
‘We thank Jesus for answering these prayers.’
Ms Severino has been the only Australian found following the incident.
‘This is a rare piece of positive news amid a disaster that has brought immense loss and uncertainty,’ Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has a 24-hour emergency hotline.
It can be domestically reached at 1300 555 135. If calling from overseas, the number is +61 2 6261 3305.
At least six Australians went missing on the Tibetan side of the border. Chinese authorities confirmed several foreigners were rescued from the region, but it is unclear if any were Australian.
Many of the missing Australians were on tours for a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash – a sacred place in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bon.
Summer, from June to August, is the most popular time of year for the trek.
Nepalese authorities have warned in advance that the remains of deceased foreigners could take time to be repatriated.
Amid the ongoing crisis, Nepal Police detailed a nine-step process remains must undergo before being released to loved ones.
MISSING AUSTRALIANS
At least 42 Australians are missing. 36 of the missing were in Nepal, 6 were in Tibet.
Most were travelling with tour groups. 15 with Himalayan Glacier Trekking and six with Kailash Journeys.
Eleven other Australians were travelling with the Isha Foundation.
Those include 41-year-old Sumi Adhikari, 46-year-old Reshma Patel, and Bharat Mangwani.
Other missing Australians include 40-year-old Karan Bhardwaj, 50-year-old Uduy Shivamurthy, 55-year-old Kripa Shivamurthy, Suhasini Reddy Kandimalla, and Michael Keats.
The only Australian found, so far, was 26-year-old Cara Severino.
Himalayan Glacier Trekking
– Sridharan Iyer, 52
– Lakshmi Roopa Sridhar, 50
– Rudhra Sreedharan Iyer, 20
– Rishabh Sridharan Iyer, 24
– Chandrasekaran Muralitharan, 47
– Shylaja Muralitharan, 42
– Ashwin Muralitharan, 14
– Aarush Muralitharan, 11
– Venkatraman Balakrishnan, 52
– Chitra Venkatraman, 46
– Rajeswari Sharma, 64
– Sruthi Chandrasekaran, 36
– Krishna Sharma, 50
– Umesh Sharma, 55
– Kumar Ramaswamy Sampath, 61
Kailash Journeys
– Sandeep Mohapatra, 43
– Sidharth Kumari Sahu, 39
– Arpan Mithilal Kothari, 40
– Bhavinkumar Rajnikant Ravel, 41
– Karan Bhardwaj, 40
– Kanagamalah Sundrasan, 60