Nepal Floods Kill 389 as Australian Rescued Off NSW Coast

At least 389 people have been killed and more than 1,300 remain unaccounted for after catastrophic flash floods tore through Nepal, sweeping entire villages from the map in one of the country's deadliest natural disasters in recent memory.

The destruction was triggered by the collapse of Himalayan glaciers, which sent walls of water and debris cascading down mountainsides, triggering a series of devastating landslides. Remote communities bore the worst of the impact, with rescue teams struggling to reach cut-off areas amid continued instability in the terrain.

Medical staff at Kathmandu Teaching Hospital have been overwhelmed with the injured, treating a stream of patients with trauma wounds, crush injuries and hypothermia. Aid workers on the ground described scenes of widespread destruction, with roads washed out and communication lines severed across multiple provinces.

Authorities are monitoring a secondary flood threat along the Trishuli River, where swollen waters remain dangerously high. Officials have warned that further rainfall could compound the disaster, and evacuation orders remain in place for vulnerable communities downstream.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong confirmed the government is in contact with Australians in the affected region and pledged humanitarian assistance to Nepal's relief effort. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has urged any Australians in Nepal to register their presence and follow the advice of local authorities.

In Melbourne, members of Nepal's diaspora community gathered for prayer services, lighting candles and calling for continued international support as the scale of the tragedy became clearer. Organisers said the events were as much about solidarity as grief, with fundraising efforts already underway to support displaced families.

Separately, three sailors survived a harrowing ordeal off the coast of New South Wales after their vessel began to sink. Maritime rescue crews reached the stricken boat and pulled all three crew members to safety, though one man remained in a serious condition and was fighting for life following the incident. Authorities have not released further details about the cause of the sinking or the vessel's identity while the investigation continues.