The search for missing 20-year-old Canterbury girl Emma Beattie was stopped at 4:30pm today due to the toll the heat was having on search groups.
Ms Beattie has not been in contact with friends or family since she left her Fernside home at 11pm Friday, just outside the town of Rangiora, 30 kilometres north of Christchurch.
Canterbury Land Search And Rescue's Paul Spencer, who is leading the search effort, told 1 NEWS at 2:30pm today the search for Ms Beattie will only continue for another two hours because the heat is starting to affect the 24 people out searching for her.
The teams were looking for Ms Beattie in an area of the Ashley River, upstream from the nearby racecourse.
Police say they believe Ms Beattie may have been in the Ashley River area yesterday.
Police are urging anyone who was at Ashley River yesterday and may have seen her to contact police.
Ms Beattie has long blonde hair, and may be wearing a pair of orange and black Nike sneakers.
She may also be carrying a brown backpack with rope straps.
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