A relieved Wellington family are reflecting on their fortunate escape from their flooded house thanks to quick-thinking neighbours – and a trusty dumbbell.
Around 3am, Harry and Walmer Polania were asleep when their father, who was visiting, felt water and ran upstairs to raise the alarm.
"It was kind of terrifying in that moment," Harry told 1News.
Record-breaking torrential rain, 77mm in an hour, brought significant flooding across several Wellington suburbs in the early hours of Monday morning, including Harry and Walmer's flat in Brooklyn.
The brothers said they initially scrambled to salvage their belongings as the water continued to rise.
"It was too late 'cause all of the stuff was already wet," Walmer said.
"We couldn’t open the door," Harry said. "We had to find another way to get out."
The pair had moved into the house just two months ago – their first time flatting.
The men went back upstairs, with Harry on the phone to police as Walmer broke a bedroom window with a dumbbell.
The brothers then began screaming – with "life savers" Brendan West and his wife responding to the call for help.
'They were panicking'
West said he and his wife were unable to sleep due to the rain when they heard the "pop" of a window being smashed, followed by screams coming from across the fence.
"We came out the back door and one of these fellows was poking his face over the top, calling for help," West said.
"They were trapped between the house and this pretty tall fence."
While the couple "weren’t quite sure what to do or how bad it was", they quickly formed a plan.
"From there, it was kind of automatic."
With Harry too distressed to articulate to police what was happening, West took over the call.
West said he then told the family and another household next door to climb along a raised area below the fence through to the roof of their garage.
"We got them across and got them inside," West explained, "got them warmed up, got food in them... A couple got stranded who were in this floodwater so we pulled them out as well.
"We were up for a long time but we were glad to be able to help our neighbours."
West said he was "really proud" of their actions, adding that his wife "started up a chain gang of hot Milo and dry clothes and whatnot".
"It was the fault of the drain at the back – we need it cleared," he said with a laugh.
Walmer said "basically everything is gone – from the living room, kitchen and bathroom. Even the laundry."
They were unable to save their TV and PlayStation but Harry said he was "so grateful we’re still alive".
"We didn’t know what to do but we feel so grateful we could get out."
The Polanias are now looking for a new place to live.
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