A man who went missing after entering a river has been found after a search and rescue operation near Mount Isa

A man has been found alive and well after a major search and rescue operation near Mount Isa.

Regan Dempsey, 28, was last seen entering the Leichhardt River on Burke Street at around 7pm on Thursday.

The river ran fast after heavy rain in the north-west of the state.

Dempsey was found at Lake Moondarra, about 20 kilometers north of Mount Isa.

He was taken to hospital for observation.

Emergency services, including police, Queensland Fire and Rescue Service rapid water rescue crews and SES volunteers, combed the riverbanks and used drones to scan the area.

Detectives also examined areas Mr Dempsey was known to frequent and spoke to family and friends in the city, as well as Cloncurry and Townsville.

Rain raised the danger level

Mount Isa Police Chief Adrian Reek previously said recent storms had made the normally dry stretch of river unusually dangerous.

“We’ve had a lot of rain here recently, so it’s pretty active,” he said.

“At the time Mr Dempsey went missing the river was in flood and moving.

“That’s why we (were) so concerned.”