A massive search for a three-year-old boy who fell into a storm drain in Melbourne has been suspended until Thursday morning. Victoria's emergency services had been looking for the toddler since Wednesday afternoon after a witness reported seeing a child floating down an open drain on Lonsdale Street, Dandenong - in Melbourne's south-east - just before 3pm. Crews - including the Country Fire Authority and Victoria Police - launched air and water searches for the boy, holding fears he may have drowned. Scroll down for video . The boy was last seen about 2.55pm in Lonsdale Street in Dandenong - south-east of Melbourne . It is believed the boy was playing in Rotary Park in Dandenong with his family . Initial reports indicated the boy had been washed into an open drain and into the creek . Police said it was unlikely the child would have survived the creek's fast-flowing current and chilly temperatures. During the search, an officer was knocked off his feet by the current when he was wading through waters up to his knees. 'Unfortunately one couldn't expect that a small child would have much hope in such fast flowing water,' Senior Sergeant Phil Hulley told the Herald Sun. The drain - which leads into Dandenong Creek - is usually not full of water but since heavy rain fell hit the Victorian capital on Tuesday, it has become a rapid waterway. A witness alerted emergency services when they saw a child floating in the water after falling into an open drain, according to The Age. It is believed the boy was playing at Dandenong's Rotary Park along with his family when he went missing. Crowds have gathered around the search area as CFA authorities and police continue their efforts . The boy's family are 'very distraught' and are awaiting news at the Dandenong police station . A witness reported he saw a child floating down the stream way which leads into Dandenong Creek . The creek flows into Melbourne's south-east suburbs and makes it way into Port Phillip Bay - west of Dandenong . As a crowd started gathering at the banks of the drain, the boy's family - who are believed to originally be from Afghanistan and new to the area - were swiftly taken to the police station to await news. They are now receiving counselling. Residents - who were also lined up on a bridge over the area - joined in with the search efforts. Earlier on Wednesday, Dandenong Superintendent David Clayton said the boy's parents were 'very distraught' and situation was 'grim'. 'You couldn't imagine the pain the parents are experiencing at the moment with their child missing, presumably in the creek,' he told reporters at the scene. 'Obviously the child has been in the water for a long period of time, we believe. 'So it's very concerning for the parents and obviously they're very distraught.' Emergency services are out looking for the boy this afternoon . Search crews are desperately looking for the little boy . Police have asked parents to be vigilant around fast-flowing water. 'Our message would be to parents, to be very aware that there is fast-flowing water and they need to be vigilant with their children around obviously fast-flowing water,' Supt Clayton said. A spokesman for Victoria Police said they were 'throwing everyone we have at this'. The Age reported that police are searching along the banks of the creek near Webster Street and the Princes Highway bridge. Air searches are being conducted over the creek that runs through Melbourne's south-east suburbs to Port Phillip Bay - which lies west of Dandenong. A helicopter was seen circling the area and a dog squad was also involved in the search. 'The search is quite extensive. We've got a large number of police personnel here and SES assisting with a line search,' Supt Clayton said. Ambulance Victoria told Daily Mail Australia they were on stand-by. A flood warning was issued for the creek by the Bureau of Meteorology at 11am. The Dandenong Creek is raging after a day of very heavy rain in Melbourne . This is the area that emergency services are searching .
The search has been suspended and will resume tomorrow morning .
Crews desperately searched for the missing child in the air and water .
The boy was last seen just before 3pm and has not been spotted since .
The storm drain he fell in is believed to lead to the raging Dandenong Creek .
A massive search for a three-year-old boy who fell into a storm drain in Melbourne has been suspended until Thursday morning. Victoria's emergency services had been looking for the toddler since Wednesday afternoon after a witness reported seeing a child floating down an open drain on Lonsdale Street, Dandenong - in Melbourne's south-east - just before 3pm. Crews - including the Country Fire Authority and Victoria Police - launched air and water searches for the boy, holding fears he may have drowned. Scroll down for video . The boy was last seen about 2.55pm in Lonsdale Street in Dandenong - south-east of Melbourne . It is believed the boy was playing in Rotary Park in Dandenong with his family . Initial reports indicated the boy had been washed into an open drain and into the creek . Police said it was unlikely the child would have survived the creek's fast-flowing current and chilly temperatures. During the search, an officer was knocked off his feet by the current when he was wading through waters up to his knees. 'Unfortunately one couldn't expect that a small child would have much hope in such fast flowing water,' Senior Sergeant Phil Hulley told the Herald Sun. The drain - which leads into Dandenong Creek - is usually not full of water but since heavy rain fell hit the Victorian capital on Tuesday, it has become a rapid waterway. A witness alerted emergency services when they saw a child floating in the water after falling into an open drain, according to The Age. It is believed the boy was playing at Dandenong's Rotary Park along with his family when he went missing. Crowds have gathered around the search area as CFA authorities and police continue their efforts . The boy's family are 'very distraught' and are awaiting news at the Dandenong police station . A witness reported he saw a child floating down the stream way which leads into Dandenong Creek . The creek flows into Melbourne's south-east suburbs and makes it way into Port Phillip Bay - west of Dandenong . As a crowd started gathering at the banks of the drain, the boy's family - who are believed to originally be from Afghanistan and new to the area - were swiftly taken to the police station to await news. They are now receiving counselling. Residents - who were also lined up on a bridge over the area - joined in with the search efforts. Earlier on Wednesday, Dandenong Superintendent David Clayton said the boy's parents were 'very distraught' and situation was 'grim'. 'You couldn't imagine the pain the parents are experiencing at the moment with their child missing, presumably in the creek,' he told reporters at the scene. 'Obviously the child has been in the water for a long period of time, we believe. 'So it's very concerning for the parents and obviously they're very distraught.' Emergency services are out looking for the boy this afternoon . Search crews are desperately looking for the little boy . Police have asked parents to be vigilant around fast-flowing water. 'Our message would be to parents, to be very aware that there is fast-flowing water and they need to be vigilant with their children around obviously fast-flowing water,' Supt Clayton said. A spokesman for Victoria Police said they were 'throwing everyone we have at this'. The Age reported that police are searching along the banks of the creek near Webster Street and the Princes Highway bridge. Air searches are being conducted over the creek that runs through Melbourne's south-east suburbs to Port Phillip Bay - which lies west of Dandenong. A helicopter was seen circling the area and a dog squad was also involved in the search. 'The search is quite extensive. We've got a large number of police personnel here and SES assisting with a line search,' Supt Clayton said. Ambulance Victoria told Daily Mail Australia they were on stand-by. A flood warning was issued for the creek by the Bureau of Meteorology at 11am. The Dandenong Creek is raging after a day of very heavy rain in Melbourne . This is the area that emergency services are searching .
into a storm drain in Melbourne has been suspended until Thursday morning. Victoria's Melbourne's south-east - just before 3pm. Crews - Police - launched air and water searches for the down for video . The boy was last seen about south-east of Melbourne . It is believed the boy Dandenong Creek - is usually not full of water child missing, presumably in the creek,' he told