Iain Trotter’s security camera stayed running while his family packed and fled rising floodwaters in the rural Hawke’s Bay community of Twyford.
The footage he found when he came back could prove a valuable tool for understanding just what happened in the community near Hastings.
Almost half a day after catastrophic flooding began to sweep down the Esk Valley north of Napier, the Ngaruroro River also breached its stopbank.
Instead of the middle of the night, it was about midday on Tuesday that floodwaters began to rise for residents of Twyford.
Trotter said he had to drive through floodwaters to escape the home, and his family was able to stay with friends at Bridge Pā.
