Nobody anticipated how bad the flooding in Ngongotaha was until they saw it first hand, a Rotorua Duck Tours driver says.
It has been nearly a week since the amphibious yellow duck bus was called to ferry evacuees from the village to safety.
Driver Sean Russell said when the banksof Ngongotaha Stream burst on Sunday afternoon, the council called for help "Things happened really fast.Tand the drivers headed straight to the Agrodome to collect 32 stranded tourists and staff.
Sean Russell and Shelley Chapman from Rotorua Duck Tours drove into the flood zone on Sunday. Photo/Ben Fraser
Rotorua Duck drivers were called in to help with the evacuation of Ngongotaha. Photo/Supplied
"One of the most incredible things we saw was a guy pushing his car down the road, all by himself, because it was just floating."
The drivers ferried the evacuees to Ngongotaha.
It was a different experience to giving a tour and certainly "mixed things up a little bit", Russell said.
"We were just trying to keep people calm."
Not many people are able to really comprehend what it was like out in Ngongotaha the other night with the flooding. We have managed to put together some of the dashcam footage of the Duck showing just how bad it was out there. Nasty currents in that water and I think it's deeper than most people thought. Take a look and as you do spare a thought for those affected by these floods.
