Tragedy as Cyclone Alfred claims first victim after man found dead in floodwaters in northern NSW

A body has been found during a search for a man who was swept into raging floodwaters yesterday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to Wild Cattle Creek Bridge, about 25km north-east of Dorrigo, after a ute being driven across it was swept into floodwaters.

The driver – a 61-year-old man – was able to get out of the ute and climb onto a tree branch, about 30m from the riverbank, but emergency personnel were unable to reach the him before he was swept away.

Local police, Fire and Rescue NSW personnel and the SES resumed searching the area he went missing in today. 

At about 4.30pm the body of a man was found.

While he is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing man.