'Rain is over': Weather set to ease as community braces for recovery

There is no relief in sight for a sodden state despite rain easing, with flooding set to impact communities for some time amid significant livestock losses.

Floodwaters surround houses that are flanked by trees.

A man is missing, and communities are cut off as widespread rain causes flooding across two states. Source: AAP / Peter Batt

Rain is set to ease but there is no relief in sight for a flood-hit region that might take years to recover.

Totals exceeding 100mm impacted parts of Queensland on Wednesday from the remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Dianne.

Saddler Springs in the Central Highlands topped the gauges with 141mm while Evans Head in NSW received 87mm.

The wet weather is set to shift to northern and eastern Queensland on Thursday, with rain easing across much of the state's southern inland.

But major flooding continues in western parts with warnings for multiple rivers and creeks that are not expected to ease for some days.

'Recovery will take months and years'

Homes have been inundated, communities evacuated and fences destroyed across the region, triggering fears of significant livestock losses.

About 150,000 sheep, cattle and goats have been lost but the full extent won't be known until water levels eventually ease.
"The impact of that for individuals will be massive, but also for the communities," Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said of the livestock losses.

"Agriculture underpins these communities and they're going to take a long way to get back on their feet.

"This recovery will take months and years."

Crisafulli said he was working with the federal government to assist communities with repairing fencing as one of the priorities.
Total fencing damage to date is estimated at around 3,500km, with almost 5,000km of private roads also impacted by flooding.

"We will be working with the federal government to explain how important it is that we develop packages to be able to get that exclusion fencing back up and running," he said.

"If it's not, we go back to the bad old days of wild dogs running, roaming free, of proud industries being at the mercy of mother nature."

Assistance grants of up to $75,000 have been announced by the state government for affected primary producers.

Search for elderly man lost in NSW floodwaters suspended

In NSW, the search for an elderly man lost in floodwaters has been suspended.

The Sydney man believed to be aged in his 70s was swept away when he tried to drive across a flooded causeway 100km west of Taree late on Saturday

"Police were told an SUV towing a caravan had been swept into floodwaters," a NSW Police statement said.

The vehicle was located the next day but the man remained missing when the extensive search was suspended late on Wednesday.


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Source: AAP


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