Newstalk ZB
There are fears a person may have vanished in the fast‑moving Manawatū River, but so far, a police search has found no sign of anyone in or near the water. Police said they received a report at about 9.30am from someone who believed they saw a person in the Manawatū River, near the Fitzherbert Bridge. Police Search and Rescue and other emergency services teams have since searched the area, but have been unable to locate any person or any signs that there was a person near the river at all. Police said inquiries are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances of the report. A local who wished to remain anonymous told the Herald he was walking his dog in the area at 10am when he saw police in attendance. “They had drones up and all that stuff, so they were looking,” he said. He said he saw at least four or five police officers at the scene. “It’s a pretty bad river. I’ve lived here with my partner for about six years and it’s been pretty bad, taken a few lives,” the local said. The river often swelled up significantly after heavy rain. This comes after a Wellington man was reported missing after flash floods hit the capital yesterday. Karori man Philip Sutton. Philip Sutton, who is in his 60s, remains unaccounted for in the suburb of Karori. Emergency services were contacted at about 7.15am yesterday by a concerned member of Sutton’s family. His South Karori Rd residence was found to have been affected by floodwaters and debris.
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