Hurricane Harvey: Kiwi woman sandbags home

Sarah Ayala is a New Zealander living in Houston, Texas. Photo / Supplied

A Kiwi woman living in Houston, Texas, has described having to sandbag the neighbourhood houses to keep the flood waters at bay.

Hurricane Harvey touched down in the US state over the weekend, causing extensive flooding across the southeastern part of the state and driving thousands of residents from their homes.

At least twelve are believed to have died and authorities expect the figure could rise.

Sarah Ayala spoke to Rachel Smalley on Newstalk ZB this morning about how she has coped in the torrential waters and rising floodwaters.

"We had water right up to our house last night, and obviously yesterday, all of the neighbours were all out trying to help each other sandbag and protect our houses."

Ayala said considering the scale of devastation the hurricane had unleashed, where she is the damage has been "minor, minimal".

"So we are now all focused on trying to help the wider communities as well," she said. "Everyone is trying to get what they can to local places."

Ayala said evacuation centres had been set up around the town.

The Kiwi woman said the rain had begun to ease but the question was now how to deal with all the water.

"We are starting to see the rain let up today. It's still raining and still gray outside, but certainly not as heavy as it has been."

She said authorities had planned a gradual release of dams in the area, which she said were overspilling for the "first time in history".

International media have reported the pair of dams near the flood-hit city have begun overflowing, leading to evacuation of residents in nearby areas.

Water levels in the Addicks and Barker reservoirs were at all time highs, forcing engineers to alleviate some pressure by releasing water into the already flooded areas.

Ayala said the dams were a fair way from where she was living, but it was "awfully scary for those having to evacuate".