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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Doug Dingwall

Police find missing kayaker's body, Bungendore flooded, warnings for Queanbeyan and Oaks Estate as rainfall hits region

Point Hut Crossing was closed on Sunday as a search investigation commenced to find a missing person. Picture: Dion Georgopoulos

Update: Police have found the body of the missing kayaker.

Emergency services located the man's body at 6.20pm Sunday after starting a search operation about four hours earlier when the kayaker went missing.

Earlier: Emergency services searched for a kayaker who was separated from his group and went missing near Point Hut on Sunday afternoon.

The search operation continued into the evening along the Murrumbidgee River near southern Canberra where the kayaker went missing while water was fast flowing and cold.

ACT Policing inspector Brett Booth said emergency services were alerted to the missing kayaker at 2pm and would keep searching.

Floodwater inundated Bungendore, and there was minor flooding in Queanbeyan and Oaks Estate in the afternoon as rainfall swelled the Queanbeyan and Molonglo rivers.

Farmers round up sheep onto dry land as Lake George fills up with water due to heavy rainfall on Sunday. Picture: Dion Georgopoulos

Tarago/Bungendore Road was closed due to flooding at the bridge located between Ashby Drive and Turrallo Terrace.

Emergency services rescued one driver who got stuck in the floodwater, while Fire Rescue NSW, NSW SES Bungendore and Queanbeyan units and Bungendore Rural Fire Service rescued two horses trapped in floodwaters.

Witnesses in Bungendore described one of the area's main roads being flooded and floodwater resembling a lake through the centre of the town.

There was confusion among motorists unaware of road closures in the area on Sunday afternoon.

NSW SES said heavy rainfall on Saturday night and Sunday morning had caused significant river level rises along the upper Molonglo River.

The Queanbeyan River at Queens Bridge was forecast to peak at close to six metres on Sunday night, with minor flooding.

The Molonglo River at Oaks Estate was expected to peak near 6.5 metres at about 8pm Sunday with minor flooding. Further water level rises were possible at both points of the rivers.

Based on the prediction provided by the Bureau of Meteorology, it was expected floodwaters may close the western approach to the low-level bridge on Morisset Street, flood low parts of Queen Elizabeth Park, and close Oaks Estate Bridge.

Renewed river level rises have been observed at Carwoola on Sunday afternoon.

Motorists heading to Canberra were told both southbound lanes of the highway were closed, and were advised to continue on the Hume Highway to Yass before taking the Barton Highway.

In Canberra, people took lilos and a kayak to the water at Sullivans Creek near Macarthur Avenue on Sunday afternoon.

Emergency services advised people to never enter or travel through floodwater.

The major cause of death during floods is by people entering floodwater: that is driving, riding or walking through floodwater and also children playing in floodwater.

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