Heavy rain has caused widespread flooding in Auckland, Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty with one family trapped in their car having to be rescued by firefighters.

Two men have been charged with kidnapping, assault with a weapon and aggravated robbery after an incident in Rotorua last week.

A soldier was struck by a stray bullet while operating a standard-issue light machine gun late this morning.

Police are confident a man who leapt into the Waikato River in Cambridge after failing to stop his car last night has made it ashore.