There are 'grave concerns' for a 14-year-old former Ballarat resident who is still missing five days after being swept away in floodwaters in south-east Queensland.
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Krystal Cain disappeared when the car she and her father Lenny Cain were travelling in was swamped by floodwaters near the Burnett Highway at Booubyjan, in the Gympie region, in the early hours of Saturday.
The search for the teenager, involving helicopters, boats, trail bikes, 4WD vehicles and even people on horseback, entered its fifth day on Wednesday.
"We have grave fears but we still hold hope of finding this young lady," Police Superintendent Michael Sawrey said on Tuesday.
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Krystal was born and raised in Ballarat and attended Delacombe Primary School before moving to the Echuca area.
"Krystal is a loving daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece and friend with an incredible talent to sketch all things amima. She was swept away in a torrent of water whilst travelling to Agnes Water to see her grandparents. Krystal is still missing and we hold hope that she is still alive somewhere," the page said.
Mr Cain was rescued after farmers Ken and Julie Thompson spotted him clinging to a tree about 9am on Saturday morning.
The couple called emergency services and kept an eye on Mr Cain with the scope on their rifle until the rescue helicopter arrived two hours later.
Mr Cain was taken to Bundaberg Hospital and treated for pneumonia and broken bones. He has since been discharged.
The flooding has also killed two men and damaged dozens of homes and businesses. Bauple farmer Steve Bottcher, 52, and a 22-year-old Sunshine Coast man have already been killed in the floods that came after ex-cyclone Seth dumped more than half a metre of rain on the Wide Bay Burnett region.
- with AAP
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