But not all residents were able to seek shelter indoors as they found their homes inundated by floodwater.
A pool of water on and under a children's art table, the smell of damp earth and water-filled pockets in wallpaper are the things Pukehangi resident Rebecca Brake is dealing with in her flood-damaged home.
Floodwater swept through their home on Monday afternoon, leaving behind sodden floors, walls, ceilings and belongings.
Pools of water still puddled on furniture the day after Rebecca Brake's house flooded. Photo / Ben Fraser
Brake arrived home after picking her three children up from three different schools to find Fire and Emergency crews pumping water from their neighbour's house.
She opened her door to waterfalls flowing from her walls and ceiling and muddy water in her new home.
"It was like a dirty river had run through the whole house."
The fire crews assessed the situation and told her it was "too far gone" to do anything. She was told to call her insurance company and the power was turned off.
"We never anticipated this happening."
Rebecca Brake in her flooded Hoyte Place home. Photo / Ben Fraser
She said she was "just gutted" but said the family were lucky their sentimental items were placed high up.
"It's just a house. The issue is finding somewhere to live while it gets repaired."
Her insurance company was visiting the house yesterday but she imagined it would take months for the damage to be fixed.
A few minutes up the road, Bell Rd resident Janet Rewita described how frightened she was when the water came rushing into her property with a "whoosh".
Bell Rd resident Janet Rewita's home was flooded in the lower levels on Monday. Photo / Ben Fraser
It was the fourth time in six years her rental had been flooded, and the experience had left her stressed.
Floodwater came "gushing from the houses behind", which backed on to a reserve with a stream flowing through it.
Her lawn turned into a pool and her garage was swamped. The water depth in a ground-level room had been up to her knees before it was pumped out.
She was home when the rain started, and she had a feeling "the rain wouldn't stop, and it was hard".
Pukehangi resident Rebecca Brake inspects the damage in her garage the day after it flooded. Photo / Ben Fraser
Rewita said she couldn't do anything. Her grandson worked to get things out of the rooms affected.
She said her property was the lowest in the street and therefore one of the worst-hit.
"It was shocking."
Bell Rd residents waded through floodwater to move belongings from the wet. Photo / Ben Fraser
According to MetService, in the 12 hours to 4pm, 87.7mm of rain fell, with 112.2mm coming down in 24 hours. The biggest downpour was between 2pm and 3pm when 20.9mm fell.
It was the wettest midnight to midnight 24 hours in the area this year, according to MetService.
