Footage supplied to Newshub shows a group of orchard workers in Hawke's Bay being rescued from a rooftop amid severe flooding.
Cyclone Gabrielle has hit the region hard causing widespread flooding and power outages.
The RSE workers became stranded after Tutaekuri River burst its banks, forcing them to clamber onto rooftops to avoid the water.
Tongan community leader Pakilau Manase Lua, who is based in Auckland, posted on social media, saying the workers were stranded on the roof from 9:30am to 3:30pm.
Hawke's Bay Civil Defence had said it wasn't possible to rescue them using a boat due to strong currents, RNZ reported.
The men were successfully rescued via helicopter and taken to an evacuation centre in Hastings.
A video of the rescue was supplied to Newshub and shows the workers climbing into the chopper to escape to safety.
Watch the video.
