Close to 30 people were evacuated from Marton homes on Saturday night, six left Koitiata while the rest of the coastal settlement found higher ground.
Yesterday other Rangitikei residents remained isolated by floodwater. In Marton, water rose quickly in the Tutaenui Stream which burst its banks just before midnight on Saturday. The average flow for the Tutaenui is 400ml but on Saturday night it reached 3.8m. "Broadway had a river of sorts running along it," Rangitikei chief executive Ross McNeil said.
There was flooding on Totara St, Lower High St and Lower Beaven St. "We had probably 20 people evacuated from properties there and we were able to find accommodation for them. But there were a good number of other people who got themselves out."
The Fire Service and police assisted with moving people while the army was deployed to evacuate people from Koitiata about four hours before the expected peak. Six properties were evacuated while the settlement's other residents found higher ground. Emergency staff lost communication with the village until yesterday morning but everyone was safe.
Later on Saturday night a few people were evacuated from Marton's pensioner flats on Wellington Rd.