Water lapping at residents' doors in Papamoa

"It's like an endless ocean of water, it's everywhere."

Papamoa resident Selina Cook has tried to move everything in her house off ground level after huge downpours, overflowing drains and rising tides meant her property was now surrounded by water.

The water was currently lapping at both the front and back doors of her property on Bell Rd in Papamoa.

"We have not seen it this bad since the new housing development and the TEL [Tauranga Eastern Link] was established," she told the Bay of Plenty Times.

Ms Cook said since housing developments had been established along the TEL, there had been issues with drainage.

She was worried if the rain continued tonight like it had done this morning, water would breach her house. She said she had family on the same road with the same problem.

"Looking out there, it's like an endless ocean of water, it's everywhere.

"It's so upsetting, I don't know what's going to happen.

"If it keeps raining, the water is going to keep rising," she said.

She had seen others on the road start to ferry things off their properties. Her partner was trying to move livestock to higher grounds on the farm.

There was a significant amount of flooding throughout the Western Bay of Plenty District, notably in Waihi Beach and Pio's Shores.

There have been a number of slips around the Western Bay.

Western Bay District Council staff were monitoring a number of wastewater pump stations.

Over 40 calls were made to the council this morning for flooding and water related issues.