Couple and baby evacuated from Paraparaumu Beach home

Paraparaumu Beach residents Connor Anson and Sarah Baker in their flood damaged flat.

A day after ex tropical cyclone Gita wreaked havoc across New Zealand, residents of Paraparaumu Beach have been hit by torrential rain combined with a high tide overnight causing severe flooding.

The cleanup started early for Connor Anson and his fiance Sarah Baker who live in a rental property in Nathan Ave.

In the middle of the night the couple and their 13 week old baby Finn, evacuated to their neighbours house next door after the rising flood water became too hard to walk in.

"I was still awake when it started happening as it was stormy but then we had the neighbour knocking on the door telling us it was flooding," Connor said.

Having had flooding in the past at the low lying house Connor and his partner weren't too worried.

"We weren't too worried at first but then it really started coming in quickly, up through the floor boards and through the carpet.

"We just started grabbing the baby stuff, the bassinet and clothes and the firemen helped me carry him out."

The fireman took baby Finn next door to the neighbours while Connor and Sarah grabbed as much as they could.

"We started putting as much as we could up on the table like the electronics but then we just had to focus on the baby."

Sarah said, "We couldn't even use gumboots it was above that.

"Water was flying in and it was getting hard to walk."

Having only moved to Kapiti last August Connor has had his fair share of misfortune after living through the Christchurch earthquakes too.

"I lived through the Christchurch earthquakes and this is way worse.

"It's just a mess."

"Everything here was pretty much brand new.

"The amp is gone, the couches, the carpet and other electronics."

Six homes in Paraparaumu Beach were evacuated this morning.