The state of local emergency in the Buller District has been lifted following days of torrential rain on the West Coast of the South Island.
Hundreds of residents spent Friday night away from home, waiting to see what mother nature would leave behind, but this time it escaped without any real damage.
Residents returned to their properties, to the relief of no flood damage.
Sheets of plastic and sandbags built up as the last line of defence for an attack that didn't come.
"We came here yesterday [Friday] just to check. There was a bit of water around the back but nothing round here so reasonably confident last night," Pete Graham told Newshub.
Others spent Saturday afternoon unpacking after a night away.
"I haven't been stressed anyway, I just said what will be, will be," Jim McKinlay told Newshub.
Seven months ago, flooding tore through McKinlay's home and he's still rebuilding.
"This time the rain was going to be up in the hills and mouths and that's where we get our flooding from," McKinlay said.
Like many, they've come through unscathed. Heavy rainfall overnight sparked fears of widespread flooding in low lying areas, similar to what happened in last July's storm.
"The Buller peaked at 8.6 metres and in July it peaked at 12 and that's what led to surface flooding," Te Aroha Cook West Coast group controller told Newshub.
Thankfully it didn't come.
"It got within 50mm of some of them going into people's houses, so it was a pretty close call," Buller District Mayor Jamie Cleine told Newshub.
It was a close call for Katana and her two kids. There were logs, flooding and debris blocking the only way in and out of their farm.
Mum, Harrison, and two-year-old Elise were flown out by a rescue helicopter late Friday afternoon with only the clothes they had on.
"I've never been in a helicopter before. It was surreal," Katana Robinson told Newshub.
"I never thought a helicopter would land in our paddock."
Seven-month-old Harrison, complete with earmuffs, had a front-row seat.
"He was absolutely fine, not a peep from him," Robinson said.
The evacuation centre set up to cater for a thousand people only required room for around 100 with 600 others self-evacuating to friends and family.
On Saturday all hands were on deck to begin packing down the makeshift welfare centre.
"We had approximately six people on the scene who we were able to help treat on scene and stay here with them," Joelle Fox from St Johns told Newshub.
Some roads remain partially blocked by slips and on Saturday afternoon Cleine ended the state of local emergency without any major damage.
"Absolute sense of relief," Cleine said
But that sense may be short-lived.
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