News live: number of Australians missing in Nepal floods rises; Penny Wong announces $3m additional aid for disaster
Nepali and Chinese authorities confirmed an updated death toll of at least 810 on Sunday. Follow the day’s news live • Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Australian personnel still unable to access Nepal flood zone Australian personnel has not been able to get access to the Nepal flood zone yet, the assistant minister for immigration, Matt Thistlethwaite , confirmed. There has been about eight power stations that have been affected as well, so it’s very difficult to get into the area. They’ve said at this stage they don’t require that support. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will transport the first of these supplies from Queensland in the coming days. Continue reading...
The government will send $3 million in additional aid to Nepal, the foreign affairs minister Penny Wong has announced, bringing the total package to $8 million. Of this additional aid, the Australian defence force will coordinate $2m worth of hygiene kits, solar lighting and other emergency supplies following a request from Nepal’s government. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will transport the first of these supplies from Queensland in the coming days.
In addition, the government will donate $1 million to the Emergency Action Alliance (EAA) appeal, which has reached $1.4 million in donations from the public. There is now 14 Australian personnel on the ground in Kathmandu – including crisis response, consular officers and Australian Federal Police – to assist staff in the humanitarian disaster. Two more will be deployed this week.