India’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said 320 Indian nationals are still missing in the aftermath of the floods. About 400 Indian nationals have been located and are safe in the Chinese side of the border, Jaiswal said during a briefing.
King Harald V of Norway, Europe’s oldest reigning monarch, has died aged 89, the royal palace in Oslo has announced. He was succeeded immediately by his son, King Haakon VIII. “It is with deep sadness that we announce that His Majesty King Harald passed away today. King Harald passed away peacefully at Oslo University hospital on Friday 28 August at 6.35am,” the palace said in a statement. The new king, whose wife, Mette-Marit, has recently come under scrutiny over scandals including a much-criticised association with the late US child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, formally notified the government of his father’s death on Friday. As crowds gathered outside the royal palace to pay their respects, the government announced a period of national mourning. Flags around the country were lowered to half mast and church bells rang out at midday. Haakon, 53, formally told government ministers of his father’s death at an extraordinary council of state on Friday morning. As expected, he said he would take the name Haakon VIII, and he chose the personal motto: “Everything for Norway”. The new king will swear an oath of accession in parliament within the next few days. Coronation ceremonies were abolished in Norway more than a century ago, but Haakon could choose to have his reign blessed at a consecration ceremony. The palace had said on Thursday that Harald’s health had deteriorated and that the king, who was seen as a unifying figure and a force for stability amid a string of recent family scandals, was in an “extremely serious” condition. Norway’s prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, said he had received the news “with deep sadness”. “A whole nation is in mourning, and the people of Norway are left with a deep sense of gratitude for a long life in the service of Norway,” he said. Støre added: “Harald V demonstrated an unwavering faith in the Norwegian people. He helped us to see the best in ourselves, and in one another … King Harald loved Norway. And Norway loved its king.” Royalty around Europe sent their condolences, with Spain’s royal family hailing Harald’s “responsibility, dignity, humility and tireless dedication”, and Denmark’s King Frederik and Queen Mary saying he was “loved like few others”. King Carl XVI Gustaf, of Sweden, said: “Throughout the years, King Harald has been a good friend to me, my family, and to Sweden … I wish my dear godson Haakon, who now succeeds his father as head of state, success and good fortune.” Belgium’s royal family recalled Harald’s “humour, humanity and sincerity”, while Britain’s King Charles mourned the loss of his “dear cousin”, paying tribute to a “towering figure” who guided his country with “warmth and humility”. The European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, said he “brought Norwegians together”. Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said Norway had “lost a great figure who stood for prudence and unity”, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, expressed “deep sadness”. Norway’s ceremonial head of state since 1991, Harald was being treated for haemolytic anaemia, a condition caused by an abnormally rapid destruction of the body’s red blood cells. He had had numerous health problems – an operation for bladder cancer in 2003 and a pacemaker fitted in 2024 – but always ruled out abdicating, saying he had taken a lifelong oath before the Norwegian parliament. His death comes amid a turbulent period for Norway’s royal family. Documents published in the US in January showed that Mette-Marit corresponded with Epstein between 2011 and 2014, long after he was convicted. The files appeared to contain almost 1,000 mentions of Mette-Marit, including intimate exchanges. They drew fierce public criticism, with Støre accusing her in unprecedented comments of “poor judgment”. Mette-Marit subsequently released a statement via the royal household expressing her “deepest regret for my friendship with Jeffrey Epstein” and apologising for “the situation that I have put the royal family in, especially the king and queen”. Marius Borg Høiby, 29, Mette-Marit’s son from a previous relationship, has also been in the spotlight after being sentenced in June to four years in prison for two rapes and 32 other charges, including violence against a former partner. He has appealed. The scandals have affected public support for Norway’s monarchy, with a poll in February finding support down to 54% from 72% in 2024. Several polls found nearly half of the population felt Mette-Marit could not become queen. Harald was seen as the Norwegian monarchy’s great moderniser, revamping the crown estates and changing the way the court is run. He married Sonja, a commoner, in 1968 and welcomed two others, Mette-Marit and Ari Behn, as the spouses of his children. A great-great-grandchild of Britain’s Queen Victoria, he succeeded his father, Olav V, at the age of 54 after studying at Oxford and representing his country in sailing events at the Tokyo, Mexico City and Munich Olympics. He was widely appreciated in Norway for his unassuming lifestyle and commitment to national unity. In an emotional speech in 2011 after the far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 in two terror attacks, he told his subjects that “freedom is stronger than fear” and as “a father, grandfather and spouse, I can only begin to sense some of the pain you feel. As king of the nation, I feel for every one of you.” In a widely praised 2016 speech, he lauded diversity, tolerance and LGBTQ+ rights, saying Norwegians came from Afghanistan and Pakistan, believed “in God, in Allah and in nothing”, and included “girls who love girls, boys who love boys and girls and boys who love each other”. Mette-Marit, 53, who has a serious lung disease and had a transplant in July, was a single mother to Høiby, who was four years old when her engagement to Norway’s crown prince was announced in late 2000. The marriage, which marked the first time in modern European history that a direct heir to a throne had brought a stepson into a royal family, caused huge controversy in Norway but was strongly backed by King Harald and Queen Sonja. Mette-Marit acknowledged having what she described as a rebellious youth and prior drug use, holding an emotional press conference a week before the wedding in which she expressed regret for her choices and strongly condemned drug use.
Flash floods at the Nepal-Tibet border have killed at least 543 people and more than 1,500 are missing. Hundreds were foreigners in the area to work, take guided treks or make pilgrimages. Thousands have been rescued, with some of the injured taken to hospitals in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu. The number of missing may vary because of progress in the ongoing rescue efforts and differences in how data has been collected and verified among agencies. Here is how different countries have been affected. Nepal Nepal’s disaster management authority said on Friday the death toll in that country had risen to 538, with 977 people missing. The authority said 3,253 people had been rescued by helicopter, and more than 150 of the injured were taken to hospitals in Kathmandu and the districts of Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading. Local reports cited the National Emergency Operation Centre as saying on Thursday that the missing included 113 Nepali tourists, 85 personnel from the army and police, 161 residents from the Rasuwa district and one from the Nuwakot district. China State media reported on Friday that at least five people had died and 558 were missing in Gyirong County, Tibet. The state broadcaster CCTV reported that 260 of the 558 missing people were foreigners. In addition, nearly 100 Chinese citizens were missing on the Nepal side, China’s foreign ministry said. India India’s foreign ministry said 288 Indian nationals remained uncontactable, including 73 people who were working on a power project. Nepali officials said many Indian tourists were on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a sacred site for Hindus. US The US state department said 90 of its citizens were unaccounted for in China and Nepal, but that it was not aware of any US deaths. Three Americans have been rescued. Malaysia Officials said 51 Malaysians were missing. Ukraine Ukraine’s foreign ministry said 55 Ukrainians were missing. The number includes two tourist groups, of 47 and seven people respectively, in addition to one Ukrainian woman travelling with a foreign tour group. Australia The Australian government said 39 Australians were missing. Britain Officials said 33 of the missing were from Britain. Canada The Nepal tourism board (NTB) said 25 of the missing were from Canada. South Korea South Korean government officials said nine citizens working on the construction of a hydropower plant in Nepal were missing. Singapore Eight Singaporeans were missing, according to the NTB. Germany The NTB said eight tourists from Germany were missing. Russia The Russian embassy in Nepal said eight of its citizens were missing. South Africa The NTB said six South Africans were missing. Latvia The NTB said six tourists from Latvia were missing. Japan Japanese media said five Japanese tourists were missing, made up of a couple and their children. New Zealand Five people from New Zealand were missing, the NTB said. France The NTB said four French citizens were missing. Belgium The NTB said three people from Belgium were missing. Spain The NTB said three visitors from Spain were missing. Others The NTB said two people each from Italy, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Ireland and the Netherlands were missing. It said 10 others – one each from Belarus, Finland, Hungary, Israel, Lithuania, the Philippines, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Serbia and Sweden – were also missing.
The families of an Australian defence force member and two Sydney boys who went missing with their parents in Nepal remain hopeful they will be found safe. Dozens of Australians are missing after devastating flooding on the Nepal-Tibet border. Nepal police on Friday said more than 1,500 people remained missing and 469 have been confirmed dead after massive flash floods and landslides tore through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river basins. One Australian woman contacted her family on Friday morning to tell them that she had survived the flood, the first of those reported missing to be confirmed safe. Among the missing Australians is Karan Bhardwaj, a 40-year-old Brisbane-based member of the Royal Australian air force who was travelling in Nepal with Kailash Journeys. “Karan is a dad to my beautiful seven-year-old nephew, as well as a brother, uncle and brother in law,” said his family member Jen, who did not want her surname published. “He is so desperately loved by his family and right now we are desperately praying, hoping and believing that Karan is safe, alive and somehow making his way back to us.” Shylaja Muralitharan, 42, her husband, Chandrasekaran Muralitharan, 47, and their two sons Ashwin, 14, and Aarush, 11, were taking part in a pilgrimage when the flood hit on Wednesday. Shylaja’s younger sister, Vaishnavi, said that she had lost contact with the family shortly after breakfast on the morning of the flood. The family of four planned to head towards an immigration checkpoint on the Tibet-Nepal border soon after, as part of the group of 15 Australians trekking with the Himalayan Glacier Adventures tour. “Just like everyone else that’s part of that group, we’re really worried, but hopeful,” Vaishnavi said. “Hopeful that they’re safe and just waiting to be rescued. “It’s a very difficult time for our whole family … I just want to make people aware that they’re there, and we’re waiting, and we just want them to return.” Vaishnavi, who asked that her surname not be published, confirmed the family were close with other members of the group who had also travelled from Sydney for the Hindu pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email The family had been training together for the long walk, she said. “They had been planning for some time, and preparing, because it’s quite a trek. “They were all working very hard together to make sure they could successfully complete it. “We just didn’t expect anything like this.” Vaishnavi said it was difficult to get clear information about what was being done to find those missing. She has spoken with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials. “We do want to know what efforts are being made … we’re not aware of what is actually happening there.” Australian woman Sumi Adhikari was at an immigration office at the Gyirong Post crossing when the flood waters hit. She was travelling with an Isha Foundation pilgrimage to the region. Her husband, Nava Pandey, has travelled to Nepal and is desperately seeking information about her whereabouts. “She was in the same area when the flood happened,” said a flyer produced by Adhikari’s family, and published with their permission. “If anyone has seen her or has any information about her, please contact the family immediately.” Bharat Mangwani, 42, was travelling with the Isha Foundation as part of a pilgrimage to Lake Manasarovar when his family lost contact with him on Wednesday morning. He was last seen at Gyirong before the group was set to depart for Kathmandu and then Delhi, his close friend Kushagra Tiwari said. Mangwani’s family, including his nine-year-old son and three-year-old daughter, have travelled to India with a family friend, while his wife has gone on to Kathmandu to look for any information. “All of us are praying for him and hopefully he comes back to us soon,” Tiwari said. Suhasini Kandimalla, a mother of two from Springfield, near Brisbane, has also been reported missing. Her sister, Supreethini Kandimalla, said that she was doing the hike with another Springfield local. While she was a New Zealand citizen, Suhasini had been approved for Australian citizenship, her sister said. She had planned to attend a citizenship ceremony for it to be granted soon after she returned. “I don’t know if it was a religious calling for her to do it,” Supreethini told the Guardian. “But she certainly loved the treks in New Zealand too, and would go on lots of long hikes.” A Brisbane man, Narayan Panthi, is also missing in the region. According to Nepal police, he was travelling with Kathmandu Holiday but he has also been conducting charity work in the capital with an education fund, the NeNas Foundation. Panthi’s cousin, Amrit Bhusal, said his family was devastated but “holding on to hope and praying for positive news”. “We are still hoping,” Bhusal said. “We are still searching. We are still praying for Narayan to come home safely.” Bhusal said Panthi was “helping disadvantaged children in Nepal reach their full potential through education”. New South Wales couple Venkatraman Balakrishnan, 52, and his wife, Chitra Venkatraman, 46, were also among the 15 Australians travelling to Mount Kailash. So too were Sreedharan and Lakshmi Iyer, and their adult sons Rishab, 23, and Rudhra, 20. The brothers played cricket for West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook Cricket Club in Sydney’s north-west. “WPHCCC is aware of the reports that two of our players, Rishab and Rudhra Iyer, along with their family members and other Australians, are unaccounted for in the ongoing floods in Nepal,” the club said in a statement. “We continue to live in hope, and our thoughts are currently with them, their loved ones and all affected by this tragedy in Nepal.” The University of Newcastle’s vice-chancellor, Alex Zelinsky, said Rishab and Rudhra were both medical students the at the university. “We are thinking of them, their families, their fellow students and teaching staff, as well as the many people who have been impacted by this devastating event and we hope that both students can be located soon,” Zelinsky said in a statement. Separate groups of Australians – 11 travelling with Trekkers Society and six with Kailash Journeys – are also unaccounted for. Both tour companies have been contacted for comment. Several other Australians were travelling with other tour groups. It is understood the majority of missing Australians are from New South Wales, but there are also some from Victoria and Queensland. The founder and chief executive of Himalayan Glacier Adventures, Sagar Pandey, said he had lost all contact with his tour group of 47 people, which included the 15 Australians. Pandey told the Guardian on Thursday he had flown by helicopter over the Rasuwa area, where the tour was staying, since the flood and had little hope they survived. “To be honest … you would think there was no human civilisation there at all. “The flash flood swept away everything, everything. You couldn’t see any human creations. “Still, I have a hope.” The Isha Foundation confirmed that 11 Australians were among a group of 80 missing pilgrims who had been in an immigration building when the flood hit. The foreign minister, Penny Wong, spoke to her Nepali counterpart, Shisir Khanal, on Friday evening to convey Australia’s deepest condolences following the devastating floods. She outlined Australia’s humanitarian assistance package in which Australia was “rapidly mobilising consular and humanitarian support in response” to the flooding. Wong said the government would send an initial team of three humanitarian response specialists “within the next 48 hours’” to help Australian staff already on the ground. “The extraordinary scale of this disaster and the remoteness of the affected region mean immense challenges lie ahead for the response and recovery.”
Dozens of Australians remain missing two days after a deadly flash flood tore through valleys on the Nepal-Tibet border, obliterating towns and killing more than 400 people. A major search-and-rescue mission has been mounted by Nepal’s government, army and police, but roads and bridges have been washed away, access to helicopters is limited and weather conditions are poor. The foreign minister, Penny Wong, said on Friday morning 39 Australians were missing, an increase from 35 on Thursday evening. As of Friday evening, 38 Australians were missing after one woman made contact with her family. Anthony Albanese said Australia was sending crisis and humanitarian response specialists to help in the aftermath. “Our thoughts are with the loved ones of those affected as we urgently work to confirm the welfare of missing Australians,” the prime minister said. “People would have seen the footage, which is a truly horrific event. At this point, Nepal is a developing country. It doesn’t have the resources that an event like that would have in Australia, so information is difficult.” Wong called it a “catastrophic event”. “We are urgently working to ascertain [the missing Australians’] whereabouts and their wellbeing,” Wong said. “Australian officials are working urgently to confirm their welfare and provide assistance to those affected.” More than 1,500 people remain missing, and 469 have been confirmed dead after massive flash floods and landslides tore through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river basins. Those figures are likely to fluctuate in coming days as rescue efforts continue and a clearer picture of the devastation emerges. Dr Soniya Rijal, a Nepali postdoctoral research associate at the University of Sydney, who has expertise on disaster management and community response, said it was impossible at this stage to know how many people had been affected by the disaster. “It’s possible the impact could be even more devastating than the 7.5 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015,” she said. “I’ve heard people were notifying neighbours to leave before the flooding hit but, because there was no rain leading to the flash floods, many of these warnings weren’t taken seriously. What makes this disaster unusual is that it was so sudden, coming without warning.” Rijal said local knowledge would be critical in finding and rescuing survivors safely. “Nepal is a very collective society and locals will have a better idea of how to locate missing people than those without local knowledge.” Speaking on ABC radio, Wong said the four additional Australians missing had been travelling separately to the Himalayan Glacier Adventures tour and Kathmandu Holiday Tours and Travel group. She said a further increase in the number of Australians missing was an “unfortunate possibility”. “I know this is an extremely distressing time for those who have loved ones unaccounted for and we are thinking of them,” she said. In her earlier statement, Wong also said the government was “rapidly mobilising consular and humanitarian support in response to the catastrophic floods along the Nepal-China border, including through a $5m assistance package for affected communities”. She said the government would send an initial team of three humanitarian response specialists “within the next 48 hours” to help 20 Australian staff already on the ground. “The extraordinary scale of this disaster and the remoteness of the affected region mean immense challenges lie ahead for the response and recovery.” Of the $5m Wong said $2m would go to the World Food Programme, $2m to Australian NGOs through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership “to provide support such as emergency shelter, hygiene kits, blankets, medical support and psychosocial support”, and $1m to the Emergency Action Alliance to support locally led recovery. Overnight, former Australian race discrimination commissioner Chin Tan was among members of the Nepali community who gathered at the Australian Nepalese multicultural centre to grieve the disaster. Families gathered for prayers and held a minute’s silence for those lost to the floods, laying candles beside a hand-crafted display of dyed rice reading “pray for Nepal”. “Today, all Australians are Nepalis because our grief is yours,” Tan said. The diaspora was “united in grief, hope and prayer”, the secretary of the centre, Sudhir Shakya, told the event, held north-west of Melbourne. “Behind every number is a person – a mother, a father, a son, a daughter, a relative, a friend, and someone deeply loved,” he said. Australia’s Nepali diaspora – more than 200,000 people across the country – are planning a series of vigils. Governments, councils, NGOs and community organisations have led an outpouring of condolences. Merri-Bek city council in Melbourne’s northern suburbs is home to the largest Nepali community in Victoria. “Council extends its deepest sympathies to the families, friends and communities of the Australians who have lost their lives, and to everyone affected by this tragic event,” the council said in a statement. “We also acknowledge the profound impact on people across our community with connections to Nepal … and people who are worried about family, friends and loved ones.” Australians in need of emergency consular assistance have been advised to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s consular emergency centre on 1300 555 135, or +61 2 6261 3305 (if calling from overseas).
An Australian woman has made contact with her family, more than two days after she was reported missing in flash flooding in Nepal. At least 469 people have been killed and more than 1,500 are missing after a catastrophic flash flood hit the China-Nepal border on Wednesday. Cara Severino, 25, is the first of 39 Australians reported missing in the tragedy to have been confirmed safe. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email But she is still hiking away from the disaster zone, attempting to reach Kathmandu on foot with a group of Nepali hikers – a trek of more than 110km. Her parents, Debbie and Frank Severino, confirmed in a statement that she had no phone reception, and her own phone had a flat battery, but that she had contacted them on Friday morning to say she was safe. “She was hiking the Langtang trek and was stranded,” they said in a statement. “With communications down we had no contact.” “This morning she was able to call us from Gosainkunda where she has been able to reach along with some other [Nepali] hikers. We understand that they are attempting to reach Kathmandu on foot. “We eagerly await more information about her safe return. We praise God that she has been able to make this brief contact with us. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families awaiting news.” As of Friday evening, 38 Australians were missing. Of the 35 missing Australians whose details were released by Nepali police, Severino was the only one not listed as travelling with a tour agency. The others were from four other groups, many of them organised to take part in the Mount Kailash Hindu pilgrimage in the region.
A dolphin has died from H5 bird flu in South Australia, marking the second native mammal species known to have contracted the virus. On Friday afternoon, the Tasmanian government said it was assessing the discovery of about 100 dead little penguins on King Island but it was unable to test them for H5 bird flu due to their “decayed condition”. It comes as the federal government announced it would withdraw researchers from the sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island research station due to the “psychosocial risk” of witnessing potential mass seal deaths from H5N1 during the upcoming seal breeding season. The common dolphin was found recently deceased near Goolwa on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula. State tests confirmed the animal was positive for H5N1, with samples sent to the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for further analysis. It follows two earlier detections in long-nosed fur seals in SA at Beachport and the Pages Islands and a case in a red fox – a feral pest species – near Port Adelaide. The federal government’s risk assessment rated common dolphins at high risk from bird flu, meaning they potentially face severe population declines where the virus takes hold. “While the detection in the common dolphin is a new development in Australia, there is evidence of dolphins and porpoises catching H5 bird flu overseas,” a spokesperson for SA’s Department of Primary Industries and Regions said. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email “Dolphins would not commonly eat birds but it is not unusual for them to sometimes interact.” In Tasmania, the state government said about 100 dead little penguins were found at Stokes Point, the southern tip of King Island, during wildlife monitoring activities. The government has labelled the deaths a mass mortality event but said the cause had not been established. The natural resources and environment department said the birds were not considered suitable for H5 bird flu testing due to their decayed condition. Brendon Clark, north-west regional manager for the state’s parks and wildlife service, said authorities were working to “assess the circumstances surrounding the discovery and determine whether any further management actions are required”. “Any loss of wildlife is concerning, and we recognise this discovery will be upsetting for residents, visitors and others who care deeply about Tasmania’s unique wildlife. “While assessments of the site have identified injuries on many of the birds, it is not possible to definitively determine the cause of death from the information currently available.” He said monitoring of the site would continue. The federal government said on Friday it would withdraw 24 expeditioners based at the research station on Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean about 1,500km south-east of Tasmania. While bird flu had not yet been detected on the island, it was home to large elephant seal populations close to station buildings. Expert assessments had predicted “a high likelihood of a significant mortality event during the upcoming breeding season”. “While the risk to humans remains low, a significant mortality event during the upcoming seal breeding season could expose expeditioners to prolonged psychological stress and other workplace impacts,” the department said. The department’s deputy secretary, Sean Sullivan, said: “This is an unusual measure, but is the most appropriate course of action, based on our assessments of risk, and operational realities. “Our first priority is the health and safety of our expeditioners. While the risk to humans of H5 bird flu is considered low, we can’t ignore the psychosocial risks of living near potentially large numbers of affected animals.” Sullivan said the researchers lived and worked in one of the world’s most remote and challenging environments. “We’ve seen what this disease can do, based on our experience at Heard Island and McDonald Islands.” Drone surveys detected more than 13,000 dead southern elephant seal pups on Australia’s Heard Island in 2025 and 2026. Sullivan said the decision had been made to minimise the risks to researchers and “across the whole Antarctic program” in advance of any mass mortality event. He said Macquarie Island was unique in that thousands of elephant seal pups were born close to the station every spring. “No other Australian Antarctic station is in this position, and there are no elephant seal colonies on mainland Australia,” he said. Sullivan said the government was exploring options for monitoring the situation on Macquarie Island, with a view to “returning expeditioners to the station in coming seasons”. The SA government said on Friday it would move to confirming H5 bird flu cases in the state through local laboratories. Until now, state-based test results have required verification by the CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong. The state government said improvements to its testing processes meant confirmation of H5N1 cases could now be done locally. The New South Wales government also announced its plans to vaccinate wild populations of little penguins at Manly and Barunguba Montague Island. The government also said “trial cohorts” of some captive bird populations, including little penguins, Carnaby’s black cockatoos and red-tailed black cockatoos, had received the first vaccinations at Taronga zoo this week.