Kathmandu/Sydney: Australia has sent a specialist disaster-response team to Nepal to support search and rescue efforts following severe flooding caused by a glacier collapse.

The 15-member Australian team includes highly trained drone operators from state emergency services. Their equipment will help search teams cover wide and difficult terrain from the air, including areas that are challenging or unsafe for rescuers to access.

The deployment follows a request from Nepal for international assistance. Australia is also sending seven Federal Police specialists trained in disaster victim identification to help authorities with the ongoing operation.

Australian officials said 36 Australian citizens remain unaccounted for. Two Australians who had earlier been reported missing were confirmed safe.

The disaster has caused extensive loss of life and widespread destruction, with more than 1,200 people reported dead and thousands still missing. Rescue teams continue to work in affected regions despite increasingly difficult conditions.

Australian authorities said the specialist team will provide additional technology and expertise to support Nepal's efforts to locate missing people and assist with the wider disaster response.