MEDIA RELEASE

24 February 2011

Supported by local volunteers Palmerston North City Council and Horizons Regional Council staff have worked through the night manning the missing persons phone line.

Horizons spokeswoman Caroline Rowe said that since the councils took over running the missing persons line yesterday morning thousands of calls have been received.

“Our staff and volunteers have worked very hard to get through the huge amount of calls that have been coming in to the RedCross missing persons line. We’ve received over 4000 calls and are expecting more today.”

Senior Sargent Dylan Earle has supervised the operation overnight. “It’s been a challenging time for Canterbury and indeed New Zealand. Districts like Manawatu have stepped in and filled a need and we’ve seen this happening in different ways around the country,” he said.

Horizons Regional Council said they will continue to supporting the earthquake recovery effort as long as necessary. The Missing Persons Line is 0800 REDCROSS or 0800 733 276.

ENDS

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