Ngongotaha's Daniel Voss was out helping others on Sunday morning.
As a volunteer firefighter Voss spent from 9am until 4pm doing what he could to help flooded homeowners in the city. He readily admits he hadn't given his own home much thought.
"I'd heard there was flooding around Ngongotaha but thought it couldn't be that bad," Voss said. "Unfortunately when I got home I realised how wrong I was."
Water was through his house and garage.
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"Luckily my brother lives up the road. He'd gone to my home and grabbed the spare car keys, cell phones, wallets and the cat."
He said he was able to return to the property yesterday and collect a few bits and is now looking for somewhere to live until he can move back home.
"In the big scheme of things it's really not that bad," Voss said. "It gives me an excuse to have a good throw out of accumulated stuff."
Concern grows for Hayden Kemp, 40, last seen in Rerewhakaaitu on Friday.