Australia deploys drones to Nepal as death toll passes 1,200

Australia is ramping up its humanitarian aid and deploying drone specialists to Nepal as the latest death toll was placed around 1,200, with around 4,200 people still missing.

"We all understand the scale of this disaster; we’ve seen this through the media, the images are harrowing," Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.

"The Nepali authorities have responded by deploying, I think, some 20,000 people in search and rescue."

She said 38 Australians were still missing and the government was deploying a team of 15 specialist drone operators to Nepal to assist in search-and-rescue efforts.

Senator Wong said "we have grave concerns" for the Australians unaccounted-for.

"Those concerns deepen every day, every hour that they remain unaccounted-for," she said. 

"We all hold on to hope, and we must hold on to hope."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the team will include members from New South Wales Fire and Rescue and the Queensland Fire Department. 

"I thank the state governments of New South Wales and Queensland for that," Prime Minister Albanese said, speaking in Palau. 

"They’ll leave Australia in the coming days as part of a 15-person disaster assistance response team. 

"This adds to the 19 Australian personnel who've already been dispatched to Nepal."

Senator Wong said the operators would use "advanced drone technology to provide mapping and thermal imaging to support Nepal's search and rescue efforts". 

"I have made clear to Nepal that we stand ready to provide further search, rescue, and recovery assistance," she said.

"I think we would all understand that 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."

Senator Wong said Nepali authorities were searching locations identified by Australia, including the Hotel Kailash and Hotel Royal Himalaya. 

"In both areas, army personnel are conducting searches on foot with helicopter and drone support," she said.

"We are also providing telecommunication data to Nepali authorities, which may help narrow the last known location of missing Australians."

The new deployment brings the total number of Australian personnel deployed to Nepal to 34. 

Mr Albanese also announced a further $3 million in humanitarian assistance to the flood-stricken country. 

"This matches the donations made by the Australian public who once again are showing their generosity to people in need," he said. 

"This brings our humanitarian package to some $11 million."

An RAAF C-17A loaded with relief supplies, including 1,440 hygiene kits, 576 menstrual hygiene kits, 2,200 solar lights and 432 shelter tool kits, arrived in Nepal yesterday at around 2.40pm AEST. 

The government of Nepal estimates around 50,000 people are lacking immediate access to clean water, toilets and hygiene needs, according to non-governmental organisation Oxfam.

"Nepal contributes just 0.1 per cent of global emissions, yet our communities are paying a devastating price as climate risks grow," said Santosh Pandey, humanitarian and disaster risk management lead for Oxfam in Nepal.

"Nepal's devastating floods should be a wake-up call for governments and donors.

"We cannot keep waiting for disasters to happen. In a burning world, climate shocks will become more frequent here, and communities need the resources to prepare, adapt and become more resilient before the next disaster strikes."