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The body of an aged care nurse has been found in northern New South Wales, days after she went missing in floodwaters, police believe.
Emergency services started a wide-scale search for Anita Brakel, 55, after a call about 10pm Tuesday saying she had been trapped in floodwaters at Monaltrie, about 5km south of the flood-hit town of Lismore.
Late on Thursday, police revealed they had found the body of a woman about 7pm near the intersection of Alexandra Parade and Tweed Street, North Lismore, acting on a tip from the public.
"The body is yet to be formally identified but is believed to be that of the missing woman," police said, in a statement.
"An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the woman's death is underway and a report will be prepared for the information of the coroner."
Officers were yet to find the 2017 white Holden Captiva the woman was driving when she left Tullera, about 10km north of Lismore, on Tuesday night.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar said earlier in the week that Ms Brakel originally lived in Nowra but had been recruited to Lismore as an aged care worker.
Some floodwaters in northern New South Wales are beginning to recede, allowing residents to return home to assess the scale of the disaster.
The NSW SES on Thursday announced residents in low-lying areas of Mullumbimby, North Macksville, Kings Point, Nambucca Heads, Condong, Tumbulgum and Kyogle could return home.
Source: 9News
