Beachfront residents in the Hawkes Bay have been allowed to return home after waves reported to be as high as a house prompted an evacuation today.
Police told residents at Haumoana and Ocean Beach, near Hastings, to flee after severe swells led to emergency management operations being activated.
But John Bridgeman, looking out from his 60-year-old family home, counting as many as eight waves as high as a house coming at him at once, refused to budge.
"We're safe as a bank here," Mr Bridgeman said, putting his trust in a sea wall he built himself 12 years ago.
The swells that had hit the coast since last night were the worst he had ever seen, he said.
The council said this afternoon the risk had lowered enough for residents to return home, but advised people to remain vigilant.
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