KEY POINTS:
A Northland woman thought to have died trying to cross a swollen river had left her car at the riverside in preparation for the flood, neighbours believe.
The body of the woman, aged in her 40s, was found 1.5km downstream from a ford that crosses over to her house on Waikare Valley Rd, between Kawakawa and Russell.
A search for the woman's husband, also in his 40s, was expected to resume this morning.
Both of their cars were parked beside the river and the pair were often seen together.
Neighbours last night told the Herald the couple had moved back into the area only in the past two months.
They had ties to the Waikare community but had not lived there for some time.
Fears were rising last night that the husband had met the same fate as his wife but locals remained hopeful he would be found alive.
One woman, who did not want to be named, said the woman's vehicle was found on the opposite side of the river from her home - something residents regularly did when they expected the river to rise.
"We're all in shock actually," she said. "When it rains, you take your car across the river. Otherwise, you won't get out.
"So you park it up on the road and when you want to go out, you go across the river and you go to town. That's what they've done all their lives."
About eight families lived across the river, known by locals as the Waikare Creek, which the woman was thought to have been crossing.
The neighbour said the creek was about 10m wide and usually ankle deep.
Another resident, who also asked not to be named, said the body was found in the river in trees and other flood debris by her neighbours, who were out trying to see if the river could be crossed.
Nearby resident Dean Reti said flooding in the area was common and so bad that his home had been flooded three times since March last year.
The dwelling had been "lifted" 3m higher and put on stilts to prevent further flood damage but he was not sure it would be enough.
Whangarei police station had received dozens of phone calls last night, but a spokeswoman said that most were from people asking if roads were open rather than reporting damage.
