A WOMAN who was last seen entering a swollen river in Far North Queensland is believed to have been washed away by floodwaters.
The 34-year-old woman was last seen entering the flooded Wallaby Creek at Rossville, south of Cooktown, about 6pm yesterday.
Witnesses told rescuers that the woman had entered fast flowing water near the Homerule causeway on River Road about 6pm yesterday as she attempted to cross the river and return home.
However, she was only reported missing this morning when friends went to her house to find that she had not returned.
Police and SES personnel have commenced a search in the area and will continue until last light. The search will resume tomorrow morning.
It comes as the Far North continues to be lashed by heavy rainfall, with some areas recording up to 600mm in the last week.
And there is no reprieve in sight, with a monsoonal trough around the Cape York Peninsula strengthening, bringing the potential for a cyclone to form early next week.
The Bureau of Meteorologists latest tropical cyclone outlook said that during Sunday, a tropical low may be located in, or near, the Gulf of Carpentaria embedded within a developing monsoon trough.
“The environment is favourable for further development provided the low remains over water,” the Bureau states.
“There is currently a degree of uncertainty whether the tropical low will be located in the Gulf of Carpentaria or in the Coral Sea.”
There is a moderate chance that a cyclone may form in the northern region on Monday.
