Some of Auckland's lower socio-economic areas have been hit hard by the floods.
Significant damage was caused after torrential rain inundated houses in south Auckland.
In Māngere, Kāinga Ora houses even lifted off their foundations while tenants were inside them.
On Friday night at around 9pm, Maria Laomahei and her mum Petiola felt the house tilt sideways.
"It's almost like you're on a boat, so it's moving sideways," Maria said.
"In the lounge as soon as you walk in, you feel your body going sideways," Petiola said.
Newshub was told the floodwaters on Ventura Street in Māngrere were so high on Friday night, they lifted houses off their foundations.
On Friday afternoon, children were playing in the rising water before families living there realised it wasn't stopping and they weren't safe in their homes.
When Newshub talked to Maria and her mother, she said she was taping up the doors to stop the water from getting into the house.
"I thought my house was safe, I thought my kids were going to be safe up there," Maria said.
When Maria walked outside on Friday night, her leg slipped into a deep trench which was hidden last night by the water.
"The police were here. He was stunned, he said 'I've never seen anything like this.'"
She piled her kids into the car and took them to her aunty's
"There were 11 of us in that seven-seater. I had to drive them out, the water was coming into the car I just drove them right out of here," Maria said.
"I drove them to the shop, the police came, and we were asking for an evacuation plan, [but police had] nothing."
When they moved in Maria said she was told it was a million-dollar home.
She and her mother are wondering why their three-year-old home was so badly damaged in the floods.
"Housing now is not about safety for the children like back in the day. It's about money. Cheap build. Money, money, money," Petiola said.
Kāinga Ora said it received 350 calls since last night and it's working to make sure everyone has somewhere to stay.
It said it's aware of damage to several homes but it's too early to know how many have been left unlivable.
