Josh Parbery laughed when he first noticed the rising floodwaters outside his ground-level flat in central New Lynn today.
His humour soon turned to terror when the power of the water - which turned a section of Clark St, near the intersection of Great North Rd, into a fast-flowing river - burst through the exterior wall.
He had been watching cars driving through the flooded street, and laughing at their predicament, when water began pouring into his flat.
![Fire crews work to rescue people who were cut off by flood waters in New Lynn. Photo / Dean Purcell](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/GOZCG3ZKL43FNI4RA6RH3ZJR2A.jpg?auth=c40c8d51169bcd7636dad556820095e73555c6d2b539a282d64216956624a24c&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
"My place just burst open and water started pouring through. I just panicked."