UPDATE: A young Daylesford family feared lost in the Nepal earthquake is safe and well, relieved family members have confirmed.
But dozens of other Victorians remain unaccounted for.
Francis and Jen Comber and their two young daughters Rani, 7, and Neve, 8, were in the remote Tsum Valley, near the Nepal-Tibet border, when the 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit on Saturday.
Relatives had been anxiously awaiting news from the family when they received a phone call on Monday morning.
Mrs Comber’s elated father Howard Brownscombe said his daughter had contacted a relative by phone to say she and her family were safe and well.
Their tour operator also confirmed that the family was alive, he said.
“I didn’t want to take it on absolute faith from the tour operator…but we have had two messages now and they are OK,” Mr Brownscombe told Fairfax Media.
He said both Mr and Mrs Comber’s phones were switched off, but he suspected they were sleeping after the ordeal. He said he expected the family would continue on their journey to India.
The earthquake on Saturday, the worst to hit Nepal in 80 years, came at peak climbing and trekking season in the Himalayas.
There are unconfirmed reports an Australian is among at least 19 people killed at Mount Everest’s base camp in an earthquake-triggered avalanche.
Authorities have confirmed more than 830 Australians in Nepal are safe, but hundreds more remain unaccounted for.
Mr Comber’s sister, Kate Comber, told radio station 3AW the family would have been about half-way through a 21-to-22-day trek in the Tsum Valley.
The family has been enjoying an extended trip through Asia, having left Australia in June last year.
“They left Daylesford last year for an adventurous time,” Ms Comber said.
Francis and Jen, both teachers, have been home-schooling their daughters, while also taking intermittent teaching jobs, she said.
However, Michael and Anna Headberry, are waiting to hear from their daughter Jordana Headberry, of North Balwyn.
Mr Headberry said he had spoken to someone who had been travelling with Jordana and he believed she was not in the hardest-hit area.
“He said she was safe, but that is all relative,” Mr Headberry said.
Mrs Headberry said her daughter loved to travel and returned from Mount Everest Base Camp a few weeks ago, before heading off on a second trek in the region.
The couple is also trying to contact hotels where their daughter might have stayed on her second trek as mobile coverage is the area is patchy.
“We think she is alright but we just don’t know,” Mrs Headberry said.
The family of Healesville newlyweds Kent Highgate, 56, and Karen O’Brien, 53, have been told the couple is safe and well.
Family friend Cherie Turner said they had been advised by the couple’s trekking company that the pair was unharmed.
“We haven’t heard from them, but Karen’s daughter got the news that they were OK,” she said.
The couple, who honeymooned in Bali earlier this year, had reportedly been in Nepal for about a week.
Among those still unaccounted for is Fairfax journalist Eugene Duffy, who is a content director at The Ballarat Courier, who left for Nepal three weeks ago. He is believed to be hiking in a remote part of the region.
Williamstown father of two Tony Saveski is also unaccounted for. He flew to Nepal for a holiday on Wednesday.
Darcy Mahady, 18, is believed to have been heading to a music festival 240 kilometres from Kathmandu.
It was the first time the Ballarat teenager had been overseas by himself.
Several Victorians previously thought to be missing have contacted family members.
Former Trinity College Colac students Grace Graham and Camille Thomas, both 18, were travelling in Nepal on a gap year. They were injured in an avalanche, but have since been released from hospital. Ms Thomas contacted her family on Sunday night to say she was safe and well and would be cutting short her gap year.
Richard Jaroszczuk, 22, was a day from base camp at Mount Everest when the earthquake struck. The Victorian reserve grade football player messaged his girlfriend on Sunday night to say he was safe.
“I’m safe. This is all I can send. Earthquake killed 1000s but I’m good. Please tell mum as I only have 30mins wifi and it’s taken 25 to send this,” his message said.
Candice Northwood, 31, was trekking with a friend across Thorong La mountain pass in central Nepal. Her parents got word on Sunday night that Candice and her friend were safe in the town of Muktinath.
Jacob Riordan, 22, has made contact with his sister Esther O’Rourke-deGraaf telling her over the phone that he was bewildered to have caused concern. He was trekking with a friend when the earthquake struck.
Eden Row, a 20-year-old photojournalist told friends and family he was safe via a Facebook post.
“We got hit pretty hard yesterday but I was lucky enough to be taken in by a local family… Thank you all for your concern,” he said.
Tour guide Patrick Davis, 29, and his American girlfriend Kara Nysaether, 25, contacted loved ones on Sunday.
Susan McLachlan, mother of Matthew Deigan, 25, and brother Luke, 23, of Geelong, said her sons had called home to say they had made it to Kathmandu and were shocked, but safe and well.
“So very, very happy,” she said.
Eliza and Tess Arnold’s “relieved mum” told Fairfax Media she had heard that her daughters were alive, following an extremely anxious wait on Sunday.
Ronald Ancaya, from Sunshine, was travelling in Nepal. His sister Rizabel posted on facebook that DFAT had confirmed his safety.
Frank and Adrienne Dyall, both 60, from Yackandandah, are reportedly also safe and well.
Geelong’s Kate Goldie, 35, told her family she was safe. She was reportedly travelling with her Italian fiance Emanuele Bonomi.
If you are concerned for a relative or friend in Nepal, call the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 24-hour consular emergency line on 1300 555 135 within Australia or +61 2 6261 3305 from outside.
– with Chloe Booker, Lily Partland
This story first appeared in The Age
