A mother who lives near the Abel Tasman National Park says she "pleased to be alive after" her and her three children fled their home in ex-Tropical Cyclone Gita's wake.
It was "like a river," Brunna Lee said, describing water and debris crashing around her home on Kaiteriteri-Sandy Bay Rd, to Fairfax.
Ms Lee made the decision to leave her home at 4pm on Tuesday with her three children and her neighbour Tim Wraight who accompanied them.
"Everything was fine and five minutes later we heard a boom," she told Fairfax.
With no other options as the vehicles were trapped by the water, they walked to nearby Marahau.
"I completely forgot about the ditch so I swum through it with a four-year-old in my hands".
Lee said she thought they made it out just in time, right before a slip came down the hill behind them.
Lee said her children, aged 13, 10 and 4 had been very scared but were "troopers" throughout the incident.
"I'm just so pleased to be alive."
SHARE ME