Passer-by rescues pair from WA floodwaters

A passer-by has rescued two people stranded in floodwaters south of Perth.

A man in his 70s and a woman in her 60s were walking the Bibbulman Track and had arranged to meet a relative in Nanga Brook on Tuesday afternoon when they noticed the Murray River had risen, so they tried to wade across a causeway.

The pair became stranded and the man was entangled in black berry vines, so they activated a personal locator beacon.

When police arrived, another man waved them down and said he had spotted the pair while checking water levels and rescued them.

Sergeant Matt Fitzgerald said the incident was a reminder of the dangers of entering floodwaters.

"In many cases the water may appear to be calm on the surface, however currents beneath the surface can catch people by surprise," he said.

"Floodwaters are especially dangerous and the more remote you are the longer it takes for emergency responders to attend.

"We believe the passer-by, who put himself in harm's way to rescue the pair, saved two lives."