The search for a pastor swept off a causeway into floodwaters in the Northern Rivers of NSW is into a second day, with emergency services losing hope he could be found alive.
The 53-year-old was leaving a wedding rehearsal last night when he made the risky crossing at Limpinwood, west of Murwillumbah in the Tweed.
A ute was found not far from a dangerous crossing but the driver was nowhere to be seen.
It’s an anxious wait for the missing 53-year-old’s wife and family, as the Westpac chopper, SES volunteers and police scour the swollen creek
Premier Chris Minns said police and emergency services “have got grave fears but a search is under way”.
The driver is a church pastor from Queensland.
He was leaving a wedding rehearsal at Selah Valley Estate about 9pm when he attempted the risky crossing.
The bridal party was behind him watching as he was swept away.
Inspector Matt Woods from NSW Police said there were “extreme conditions” with “absolutely torrential rain”.
“The vehicle was located about 400 metres downstream from where the incident on the causeway took place and we’ve also located a number of items linked to the missing person further down stream,” Inspector Woods said.
Today’s wedding ceremony was off the cards.
In Sydney, the clean-up from the city’s own battering continues.
Trees that fell on Buckland street in Alexandria on Friday are still in an SES backlog of hundreds of callouts
The Bondi sand needed help getting back to the beach after piling up on the road and walkways.
Around Denistone nearly 400 homes started the day without power.
Some have been in the dark since Wednesday night’s electrical storm.
A total of 11,000 other homes were affected across the metro area
“I can assure you that everyone’s working very hard to get those connections up and running as soon as possible,” Minns said.
