- Senator The Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs
- The Hon Kristy McBain MP, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories
Australia will deploy a team of specialist drone operators to contribute to Nepal’s search and rescue effort and boost our humanitarian support package following the catastrophic floods.
The team, including members of Fire and Rescue New South Wales and the Queensland Fire Department, will depart in the coming days as part of a 15-person Disaster Assistance Response Team. They will use advanced drone technology to provide rapid mapping and imaging to support Nepali authorities' search operations.
In response to Australia’s ongoing offers of assistance, the Government of Nepal has now requested this support. We stand ready to provide further search, rescue and recovery assistance.
The latest deployment is in addition to the 19 Australian personnel already dispatched to Nepal to support the crisis response, including consular and humanitarian officers, Australian Federal Police and Defence personnel.
38 Australians remain unaccounted for. Australian officials are working closely with authorities in Nepal and China to support efforts to establish their whereabouts and provide assistance to their families.
The conditions facing search and recovery teams remain extremely challenging. Communications are difficult, infrastructure has been destroyed and many areas are still difficult to reach.
Australians have responded to the disaster in Nepal with extraordinary generosity, with over $4 million donated to the Emergency Action Alliance that is providing critical support for recovery efforts.
In response, the Australian Government will provide a further $3 million to match public donations.
This contribution will enable the delivery of vital shelter, water, sanitation and healthcare, as well as providing children with desperately needed temporary learning spaces.
It brings the Australian Government’s ongoing humanitarian support package to a total of $11 million.
Australians wishing to donate can visit emergencyaction.org.au.
Our thoughts remain with all those waiting for news of family and friends, and with the search and rescue teams working in extraordinarily difficult circumstances.
The Australian Government continues to do everything we can to confirm the welfare of those who remain unaccounted for and support their families and loved ones.