Residents of two flooded houses in Tauranga are unable to return to their homes today following a dramatic boat rescue by Police on Saturday morning.

'The water level is higher today,” says Kathleen Wright, who only started renting her property on Redwood Lane about two months ago.

Kathleen, who owns the Good Grub and Grill food caravan on Belk Road, her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend, have been taken in by friends in Ohauiti while they wait out a return to their Tauriko home which sits near the Wairoa River.

'We are lucky we had people stepping in to help us,” says Kathleen.

The paddocks between the Wairoa River and creek were flooded. Photo: Kathleen Wright.

The ordeal started about 5.30am on Saturday.

'I tried to make coffee but there was no power. I could hear a sound like a squashing noise.”

She opened her back door to look out.

'Because of the noise I turned my phone light on and saw water everywhere. The noise was coming from rabbits and wildlife trying to get to safety.”

She saw about six rabbits.

'It's like Watership Down there at the best of times, with the number of rabbits around. I didn't see where the bunnies went, as they took off around the house when they saw me.”

Water quickly rose throughout the house. Photo: Kathleen Wright.

Kathleen says that within about five minutes the water started coming in through the door.

'I got the kids up and within a few minutes the water was ankle deep.

'The cars were parked outside, and we managed to move them up another driveway to another house up a hill. The water was about a foot deep by that stage. It happened so fast.”

On the way back to the house she spotted a hedgehog trying to swim.

'I rescued that, lost my shirt then because I used it to pick the hedgehog up.”

Back at the house, they quickly packed a bag each and got as much electronics up as high as they could, then took their two kittens with them back up the hill.

'When we went to leave there was a rabbit out the front of the house trying to get in. The water was coming up rapidly by then, it was only ten minutes later.”

She realised that her neighbour who owns horses and was away, had her house high enough above the flood, but still had a shed in a lower paddock that was going under water.

'I went next door to wake up her teenagers and then went with them to help rescue their mum's saddles out of the sheds. The water in their paddock was waist high by then.”

Police arrived by boat. Photo: Kathleen Wright.

On returning to her own house, she found the water was about a foot and a half deep.

'The carpet was floating, everything was floating. There were two rabbits on top of the floating carpet so I picked them up and put them on the couch which was also floating.”

They took what they could up to where their cars were parked on higher ground.

'I ended up going back to try and get some more dry clothes and grabbed the kitty litter box.

'There was only one bunny left on the couch, I carried it out in a crate with a blanket and let it go under the deck up the hill.”

One of the rabbits taken to a higher dry spot away from the flood. Photo: Kathleen Wright.

After getting everyone out safely, Kathleen realised that all her photos and family heirlooms stored under her bed as well as her daughter's artwork would end up being destroyed by the water.

'It was all about the priority of getting out. We were thinking about what clothes do we need.”

They were warned not to try crossing the creek so sat tight on the hilltop with the kittens and cars.

'We couldn't get out, it was like being on an island.”

The house, shed and paddocks sitting in the flood. Photo: Kathleen Wright.

Emergency Services arrived about 11.30am.

'We got boated out by police. The current had come up quickly and receded but the current from the creek and Wairoa River was full on, with lots of water and was very dangerous.”

The family has lost all their household items – furniture and major appliances, but Kathleen has already made an insurance claim.

On Sunday she found the two houses are still flooded.

'We tried to get down there today but our cars are on the other side of the water so we don't have any vehicles. And the water level is higher today,' says Kathleen.

'The flooding was up another six inches about 7am this morning and high tide was between 2-3pm.”

She is hoping that at low tide they may be able to get back in.

'There's massive trees on top of fences, so even getting the cars out isn't going to be simple.”

Good Grub and Grill is a popular food caravan in Belk Road. Photo: Facebook.

Not one for being held back by any calamity, Kathleen posted to her Good Grub and Grill Facebook page with the message: " Hey community.. I hope you all are safe and OK. We've had one hell of a morning.. Our home has been flooded and police got us out by boat. Due to this, I've decided to take a night off. So will be closed this evening. Hopefully see you next week."