She vanished after a sudden flood hit Nepal, leaving her parents calling a dead cellphone. Two days later, her name popped up in Messages

On August 26, 2026, a massive glacial collapse in the Himalayas triggered devastating flash floods along the Nepal-China border, tumbling into the Lhende Khola and Trishuli-Bhotekoshi river systems. The resulting movement registered as a seismic event equivalent to a magnitude-5.2 earthquake, according to WGRZ. At the same time, Sydney woman Cara Severino got stranded on the Langtang Valley Trek in Nepal. With no phone communication and a flat battery, her parents lost all contact with him. Just when their only hope lay in God, the officials confirmed to her that she had been traced and transported to safety. A message popped up on their phone screens with her photos and voice, reviving hope. The incident was reported by several news outlets, including MamaMia on August 31, 2026.

Hope revives amidst uncertainty 

Cara's parents, Debbie and Frank Severi, couldn’t think straight when their daughter got stranded at Kyanjin Gompa, a high-mountain village and Buddhist monastery. Although the area wasn’t in the direct path of floodwaters, losing contact with their 26-year-old heightened their worries. After two days, her name finally popped up on their phone, alerting them to a voicemail she'd left. The Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, confirmed that Australian consular officials had traced her location and brought her back to safety. "This is a rare piece of positive news amid a disaster that has brought immense loss and uncertainty," Senator Wong said, per the outlet.

Miraculous return

In an interview with Channel Seven, Frank and Debbie acknowledged that seeing Cara’s photo and speaking with her was the most miraculous gift of their lives. "We are beyond relieved and so elated to have Cara safe and well, and we can't wait to hold her in our loving arms," they said. They called her return a “miracle” and expressed gratefulness for the crew who helped track her down, including Sudha, Lucas, Samir, and Saugat.  

Devastating floodwaters 

Cara was fortunate that officials traced her location and brought her to safety. The disaster itself, however, has continued to worsen. CNN reported on September 1 that the death toll from the Nepal-China floods had surpassed 1,000, while more than 4,400 people remained unaccounted for across the two countries. Rescue crews were also searching for around 900 workers feared trapped inside hydropower tunnels in Nepal. Cara was among the Australians initially feared missing after the disaster, but officials later traced her and brought her to safety. Meanwhile, 42 Australians were still missing after another Australian was found alive, according to The Guardian's latest report.

Meanwhile, Debbie and Frank are expressing gratitude to Cara’s Nepalese hiking partners who stayed by her side through the harrowing hiking trail and helped her get back to safety. They also encouraged others to focus their attention on recovery and contact the Emergency Action Alliance webpage for information. "“The scale of this tragedy is staggering, and amidst our personal joy we continue to stand in prayer with the many families here in Australia, in Nepal and around the world who have lost loved ones or are still waiting to hear from them; we know that the waiting is horrendous," they said.

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