Three missing in Qld floodwaters

Three people are missing in north Queensland floods, including a five-year-old boy
feared taken by a crocodile, as heavy rain continues to pound the region.
A large-scale search was launched on Sunday after the boy followed his dog into
floodwaters during a walk with his seven-year-old brother at Cape Tribulation at the
Daintree about 9.30am (AEST).
Grave fears are held for the boy.
"He disappeared in the water and his brother saw a large crocodile in the vicinity
of his disappearance," a police statement said.
State Emergency Service (SES) personnel and police will search for the boy into the
night.
A search is also continuing for two men missing since Saturday night at Silky Oak,
south of Tully.
Police said a vehicle carrying seven people was being driven through floodwaters on
the Bruce Highway at 9.30pm (AEST) when it was swept away.
Five people were rescued but two remain missing.
Monsoonal rain on Sunday was moving southwards after bringing flash flooding to
Cairns and Townsville, and boosting floodwaters around isolated Ingham, where around
3,000 homes are affected.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Brian Rolstone said the movement would dump
up to 200mm of rain around Mackay and Rockhampton, bringing local flooding.
"The whole system is moving further south, so Ingham's going into a period of lesser
rainfall, a little bit of a reprieve," senior forecaster at the Bureau of
Meteorology Brian Rolstone told AAP.
But flood-affected residents in the north would not have much of a reprieve, as the
bureau predicts the trough will return to the north.
A "vigorous" change will hit around Fraser Island on Wednesday and will merge with
the monsoon trough at Mackay before making its way back up the coast.
"As time goes on, Thursday or Friday, Ingham will be back into it as it (the trough)
moves back over the top of them with major rain.
"The hopeful thing would be that it keeps on going and heading further north, but
we're not too sure beyond Friday if it's actually going to do that," Mr Rolstone
said.
Queensland SES director Mark Dole said authorities were keeping an eye on possible
flooding in Rockhampton and Mackay, as well as supplies in affected areas.
"Most areas that are in need have been catered for," he said.
"And there's also a lot of planning for areas that predict that they may, if they
continue to be cut off, be in need of supplies in the next couple of weeks."
Meanwhile, politicians and other officials toured Ingham at the weekend, including
Governor Penny Wensley and Treasurer Wayne Swan on Sunday.
Mr Swan described the flooding as "unbelievable".
"They've had over one metre of rain in seven days," he told reporters in Ingham.
"That's just extraordinary.
"It's more than the annual rainfall of Sydney, all in one week."
He said the federal government would look into what more could be done to help with
the relief effort.