Listen Now: 
January 22, 2026
Father Rescues Daughter by Kayak as Floodwaters Trap Whanau in Coromandel
Waatea Team
Posted On January 22, 2026
A Coromandel father has been praised as a hero after paddling through floodwaters in a kayak to rescue his young daughter from their stranded home.
Heavy rain overnight caused rapid flooding across low-lying parts of Tairua and Pauanui, with water rising through homes and cutting off roads before dawn.
The man told reporters he woke to the sound of water rushing under the house and realised his daughter was trapped in a neighbouring property.
With emergency services unable to reach the area immediately, he took a kayak stored on the property and paddled through fast-moving water to bring her back to safety.
Neighbours described the moment as “terrifying but inspiring,” with whānau helping shelter those displaced in dry homes and community halls.
Civil Defence says dozens of properties across the peninsula were inundated, and residents are being urged to stay off roads and keep tamariki close as more rain is forecast.
RELATED NEWS
