At least one Australian traveller is among the thousands that lost of their lives on the weekend after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal.
UPDATE 3.59pm: An Australian woman, whose sister on Saturday used social media and news outlets to search for her missing sibling, has reportedly been found trapped in Nepal’s earthquake zone with a group of infant orphans.
Ballantyne Forder, 20, was in the country volunteering at a local orphanage when the quake struck.
#Nepalearthquake The latest from Billie….hard for a big sister to read but we have help coming to her soon! pic.twitter.com/OtdTH9hUqn
— Amanda-Sue Markham (@sue_amandasue) April 27, 2015
Her father says she has made contact with the family.
The good news comes to the family as officials increase the death toll from 2,500 to more than 3,000.
UPDATE 11.30am: Nine News is reporting that the majority of Australians in Nepal have been located and safe.
Around 60 are said to be still missing.
More information below.
ORIGINAL STORY 9.30am: The violent quake struck between Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu and Pokhara on Saturday.
It sent avalanches down Mount Everest and was felt in surrounding countries India and Pakistan where several people have also been reported as dead.
On the left is actor Hugh Sheridan’s brother on the left is missing in Nepal.
In Nepal, homes, buildings and historical sites all came tumbling down after the initial quake and the 6.7 magnitude aftershock, which hit yesterday.
Officials say the death toll is estimated to be around 2,500 people as emergency crew work tirelessly to save people trapped in buildings.
According to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), 549 Australians are registered as travelling in Nepal.
Adam Jay Murphy – Australian said to be travelling in Nepal.
As of late yesterday, the Australian Embassy confirmed the safety of over 200.
However, the Nine News has just released an update saying the majority of Australians in Nepal have been confirmed safe, except for 60 who are still missing.
UPDATE: 830 Australians who were in Nepal have been confirmed safe but at least 60 are still missing.#NepalQuake #9News
Posted by 9 News on Sunday, April 26, 2015
Early this morning tour operator Dreamliners’ Destination Treks and Expeditions is said to have told reporters that four members of its group were killed in an avalanche on Mount Everest. One of which was an Australian, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
“I have lost four team members in the avalanche – two Nepalese, one Chinese and Australian. But the situation is so bad, this is only the beginning of bad news.”
Temba Tsheri Sherpa, Dreamliners’ Destination Treks and Expeditions
Another six people are also reported to have died in the avalanche on the popular trekking mountain, including 33-year-old Google executive, Dan Fredinburg.
His death was confirmed by his sister in an Instagram post yesterday. She said he suffered major head trauma on the mountain.
Alan Sargent – Australian said to be travelling in Nepal.
Hundreds of other adventure travellers are said to be trapped on Everest and authorities are working tirelessly to help them.
DFAT has also advised that an Australian Crisis Response Team will travel to Nepal as soon as possible to assist in establishing the welfare of Australians unaccounted for.
Two humanitarian experts will also be deployed and $5 million in aid has been allocated to assist the destination.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has urged families back home to not ‘assume the worst’ and said information was slowly coming in.
“Australians do go trekking in that part of the world and because someone is trekking in that part of the world we shouldn’t assume the worst.”
Here is a breakdown of everything you need to know about travel in Nepal:
Tour Operators
The Intrepid Group – parent company of Gecko Adventures, Intrepid Travel and Peregrine Adventures – as well as G Adventures and Wendy Wu Tours have confirmed to KarryOn that they have been in contact with their people in Nepal and so far all leaders and travellers are accounted for.
Future tours to Nepal are likely to be cancelled, although operators haven’t planned that far ahead yet.
In an email to KarryOn, G Adventures said it has contacted and confirmed the well being of all groups of travellers and team members in affected areas.
Travellers in Nepal have been asked to contact family and friends to reassure their wellbeing.
“Our operations teams on the ground continue to monitor the situation and to offer travellers support, advice, and assistance with their onward travel. Our thoughts right now are with those affected by the devastation in Nepal.”
G Adventures
Wendy Wu Tours Managing Director, Alan Alcove said in a statement that the company is currently monitoring the movements of one fully escorted group tour in Nepal.
He said all passengers are being accommodated at the group hotel, which with its modern build managed to withstand the earthquake.
Tour companies are hoping to get their guests out of the destination today, but are awaiting flight confirmation from airlines.
Mr Alcock advised that the airport opened for commercial traffic on Sunday and efforts were made to attempt to bring forward the group’s departure on flights to leave Sunday. However due to a backlog of passengers who were always scheduled to depart yesterday receiving priority, the first flights were already full.
“We have ensured that our customers are receiving ample food and comfortable accommodation. As a precautionary measure, all customers have been directed to remain within the hotel parameters to ensure safety.”
Alan Alcock, Wendy Wu Tours Managing Director
The MD said he will be speaking to partners in Nepal today to better assess the situation for future travel.
WWT expects that it may be some time before they can send groups there again, especially for tours going beyond Kathmandu.
It is anticipated that several tours will more than likely be cancelled between now and the end of the year.
Click here for comments from the Intrepid Group.
Airlines
The airport at Kathmandu reopened yesterday, however, DFAT has advised that travellers should prepare for delays.
KarryOn has contacted several airlines and is waiting to see how frequent flights to and from the gateway will operate.
Dragonair said in an online update that it will operate scheduled flights (KA192/ KA191) to and from Hong Kong-Dhaka-Kathmandu today (26 April) as direct flights between Hong Kong and Kathmandu, without making a stop at Dhaka for operational reasons.
KA192 is scheduled to depart Hong Kong today from 19:10 local time while the flight from Kathmandu will leave from 23:00 local time.
Dragonair plans to operate flights to and from Hong Kong-Dhaka-Kathmandu as scheduled from 27 April onwards.
The flight schedule is subject to change. Dragonair will continue to monitor the situation and provide the latest flights schedules.
A Singapore Airlines spokesperson said the airline as well as its low cost SilkAir are expected to operate flights as usual to and from Kathmandu. The spokesperson added that delays may be experienced.
China Southern Airlines will be operating double daily flights CZ6067/8, CZ3067/8 as scheduled. The airline will also be closely monitoring the situation in case additional services are required.
All China Southern Airlines tickets issued before April 25th, which includes China Southern Airlines operating flights between Guangzhou (CAN) and Kathmandu (KTM), as well as flights travelled from April 25th – May 25th, will be handled by involuntary refunded or rescheduled.
Air India said it resumed flights to Nepal yesterday.
Historic buildings/tourist attractions
Details of damage is filtering out slowly. So far, it has been confirmed that the historic nine-story Dharahara tower – a major tourist attraction – was among the buildings brought down on Saturday.
The building fell while people were still inside and at least a dozen bodies were removed from the ruins.
DFAT
The government agency continues to advise Australians to ”Reconsider your need to travel to Nepal”.
“We now advise Australians to reconsider their need to travel to Nepal following aftershocks and ongoing disruption following the 25 April earthquake.”
DFAT
“Australians seeking to depart Nepal should contact their airline for latest information on flight schedules.”
Donations
The Australian government says it will donate $5 million.
Australia’s largest adventure travel company, the Intrepid Group, is launching an appeal to assist with emergency relief in Nepal through its not-for-profit, The Intrepid Foundation.
The appeal will raise funds for Plan International, who has sent emergency teams to respond to the needs of impoverished children and families affected by the earthquake in the Kathmandu Valley.
Plan International is a long-term partner of the Intrepid Foundation. The children’s charity has been working in Nepal for more than 30 years to help impoverished children to access health, education and protection. The immediate priority of the appeal is to support children’s core needs – including shelter, water, health care, and essential child protection mechanisms.
Intrepid is encouraging travellers to give to the appeal by matching donations to the appeal dollar-for-dollar. All donations will go directly to Plan International with any administration costs entirely funded by Intrepid.
Please visit www.theintrepidfoundation.org/projects/emergency-earthquake-appeal/ to make a donation.