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WA floods: Man's body found near Esperance, search for 74yo missing man continues

Gibson, 20km north of Esperance, has flooded after the heavy rainfall. - ABC

There are fears for a 74-year-old Esperance man whose car was found abandoned under a flooded bridge this morning, after floodwaters claimed the life of another man trying to cross a road near the town.

Police and State Emergency Service volunteers have been combing the area near the Jerdacuttup Bridge, where the man's car was found about 6.00am this morning.

Earlier on Sunday police recovered the body of a 68-year-old who drove his car onto a flooded road surface in Gibson, about 22 kilometres north of Esperance, late Saturday evening.

Two dogs in the vehicle managed to swim to safety before the car disappeared downstream.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Western Australia has been lashed with heavy rains and flooding, after a thunderstorm which also brought strong winds to the Goldfields region.

The town of Laverton recorded 24.8 millimetres on Sunday, while Leinster received 34.8mm.

Esperance, on the state's south coast, received 19.2mm.



Search widened after reports of three missing



DFES Duty Chief Superintendent Rob Cox on Sunday told the ABC there had been 85 calls for assistance across the state, with many of those in the south.

Police on Sunday said they would send a helicopter back out to the town of Ravensthorpe to search for more people feared missing, after .

Another search has been carried out in the Lake King area, about 70 kilometres north of Ravensthorpe, after a report three people were missing near Newdegate.

Mr Cox said it was a concern that people seemed to be ignoring official advice.


"There is concern about the community and the safety of people because most loss of life and things in floods and cyclones is people trying to cross flood ways and go in raging rivers and things where it's very dangerous," he said.



Munglinup Farmer Anne Bell on Sunday said over the past four days the area recorded about 216 millilitres of rainfall.

"Our farm is right on the coast and all five exits are now either under water or washed away basically," she said.

"So yeah we're pretty much stuck here â?? send milk."

Mrs Bell said people who continued to attempt to cross roads and highways despite warnings were crazy.

"My husband's got experience and even he wouldn't do it â?? you get out, you walk in front of your vehicle and if it goes up to your knee you just don't do it," she said.

"It's quite deceiving, the water might look nice and calm on the surface but you just don't know how deep it is or what's under it."

Severe weather alert cancelled for Goldfields

The severe thunderstorm warning for WA was cancelled on Sunday, but residents were still advised to stay away from floodwaters and drains.

A major flood warning remains in place for the Avon River.

There are minor flood warnings in place for the Fitzroy and Swan rivers.

Some rain was expected in Perth on Sunday, with a possible storm. A top of 29 degrees Celsius is predicted, and 30C on Monday.

The weather is expected to clear on Tuesday.


- ABC

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