Searchers find body of boy swept into stormwater drain

Police have confirmed that the body of the 11-year-old boy missing in floodwaters on the NSW south coast has been found.

They advised the the boy's body was found in a creek bed at Unanderra at about 11.15am (AEDT) on Friday after he was reported missing on Thursday evening.

A statement from NSW Police said a formal identification had not been made but it was believed the body was that of 11-year-old Ryan Teasdeale. Police are preparing a report for the coroner.

It is believed the boy was swept away while bodyboarding with friends during heavy rain at Riley Park in Unanderra, near Wollongong, on Thursday afternoon.

At 4.30pm, Ryan’s brother, aged 13, lost sight of him and went home to check if he was there. Family searched for Ryan for two hours before police and SES joined the search.

Two hours later at 6.30pm the police and SES were then called in to try and find the missing boy.

On Friday morning NSW Police, Fire and Rescue, SES and more than 100 volunteers from the community continued looking for Ryan..

Authorities believe that Ryan may have been washed into a stormwater drain. Photo: AAP

Lake Illawarra Police Superintendent Zoran Dzevlan said officers feared he may have been washed into a storm drain and several were searched overnight.

"What we believe may have happened is that Ryan has fallen into one of those drains," Superintendent Dzevlan said.

"We've been searching that immediate vicinity and we've also been searching where the drains finish, into the creeks in surrounding areas.

Ryan Teasdale went missing after going bodyboarding with his friends in a local park. Photo: Facebook

"I couldn't begin to imagine what the family is going through.

"My youngest is 11-year-old this year and I just couldn't begin to imagine what they would be going through."

He said the locations that he could have ended up if he was washed into the stormwater system were countless.

Searchers scoured stormwater drains for the missing boy. Photo: 7 News

He said there was a similar incident 25 years ago, but unfortunately the person was not found.

Local resident Bernard Smith said local children always bodyboard in that park.

"That's why I just can't get it, because there was how many grown people here," Mr Smith said.

Crews responded to 35 flood rescues across the Illawarra and south coast region on Thursday afternoon as thunderstorms swept the area leading to flash flooding.

Emergency crews were searching for Ryan Teasdale overnight. Photo: 7 News

A severe weather warning has been issued for Sydney and the Central Coast on Friday, with damaging winds of up to 90 kilometres an hour expected.

More than 40 people had to be rescued in the Illawarra area, mostly after driving through flooded roads.