The Makarora River flows into northern end of Lake Wanaka. Photo: WikipediaAn overseas tramper who swam across a Southern Alps river in a raging, “wall-to-wall” flood walked calmly into a cafe and organised the rescue of his mates. The man and his four tramping companions had one channel of the Makarora River in the Otago region to an island and he swam the second channel to safety yesterday. A crew member on the Lakes District Rescue Helicopter, Ed Halson, said the four rescued trampers were uninjured. Allison Willen, a 20-year-old student, was washed away near the foot of the pass when the Young River South Branch flooded the track.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 25, 2018 21:45 UTC