The Coromandel was cut off for several hours on Tuesday as wild weather battered the district, cutting off the main highways.
Severe rainfall and rising rivers have forced freedom campers to evacuate, schools to shut and multiple road closures around the Thames-Coromandel district.
The Coromandel was hammered by almost double the predicted rainfall.
- Weather: Dozens of emergency calls overnight due to wind, rain
- North Island braces for night of wild weather
- Severe weather warnings for North Island as thunderstorms, heavy rain hit hard
"It's normal for the Coromandel to not follow any predictions," says emergency management officer Helen Flynn.
While emergency officers might have been prepared for the worst, many, including the driver of a submerged ute, were caught off guard by the deluge.
Thames locals woke to floodwaters edging dangerously towards their homes - even more frightening for those whose homes are on wheels.
"It just rained and blew, the wind was just horrendous," said freedom camper Wayne Cherry.
A group of around 40 freedom campers are now recovering from a sleepless night after being evacuated by the council at around 4am.
It was the worst weather Cherry has experienced in eight years of motor-homing.
"It just keeps rocking like you're on a boat," he told Newshub.
In the past 24 hours, the Thames-Coromandel district has been hit with 250-millimetres of rain - and counting. Thames has clocked up half of its average monthly rainfall in just 12 hours, turning rugby fields into swimming pools.
Although key roads in and out of the Coromandel have now been re-opened and severe rain warnings have been lifted in the past half hour, the warning from authorities remains.
"Be very aware of your driving around the Coromandel. There has been a lot of water into these catchments, there's debris on the road, so drive to the condition and take it slowly," said Flynn.
But some motorists are staying put for now.
"Time to catch up with some sleep I think," said Flynn.
Newshub.
