Paul Hill, whose body was found when Wellington flood waters began to subside, was anything but a frail 80-year-old.

As downpours caused havoc around the Wellington region on Thursday, Hill's car was found submerged near a boat ramp at Sladden Park, Petone, Lower Hutt while his family waited for him to arrive at a family gathering.

When flood waters subsided his body was found near his car.

supplied Karori man Paul Hill has been identified as the man found dead in flood waters in Petone, Hutt Valley on Thursday.

In the aftermath of the tragedy his family on Friday issued a statement saying Hill had completed the South Island's Kepler Track after his 80th birthday.

Hill, who was born in India and raised in Ireland, thought of New Zealand as home and lived in the Wellington suburb of Karori.

He was a doctor and physiologist who taught at Auckland University Medical School for many years, his family said.

"He was a climber, a traveller, had an active and enquiring mind and a life-long love of learning new things.

"He took great delight in walking the hills of Wellington with his beloved dog."

The "much loved husband, father and grandfather, brother and uncle, and will be sorely missed by all who knew him", his family said.

Hutt Valley Area Commander Sean Hansen said police found keys in Hill's car ignition and contacted his family, who said he was late for a family event.

Josh Lowry

and a friend headed to the park on Thursday lunchtime, as they knew it was a flood prone area.

They found Hill's car submerged up to its roof about 1.30pm and notified authorities.

Lowry used his four-wheel drive to help police and the tow truck get through the metre-deep water.

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Lowry's friend, who did not wish to be named, believed Hill had become lost.

"[I think he] tried to turn around and didn't realise that the water was so deep, the car is really little so it probably stalled."

He believed Hill got out of the car and got swept away.

Brad Cato, who lives at the entrance to Sladden Park, got home got home on Thursday afternoon and could not drive down his street.

"I waded through the water to get home and feed my 9-month-old dog," Cato said.

"I saw there were heaps of cop cars in the area along with two recovery trucks and an ambulance. At one stage, there was also a diver in full gear."

There was one person being interviewed by police in the back of the ambulance who "looked like he had had a long day," he said.

Police said there were no suspicious circumstances relating to the death, which had been referred to the Coroner who would determine the cause of death.

Hill's death occurred on a day where torrential rain wreaked havoc in Wellington and Kapiti Coast.

A deluge of rain left homes flooded, as roads turned to rivers. Trains were cancelled, leaving thousands of commuters stranded in Wellington.

Kapiti had 117.4mm of rain in the 24 hours to 2.30pm and it was still raining as darkness fell. Lower Hutt, meanwhile, had 76mm of rain dumped on it during the same period, Porirua got 45mm.

About 40 homes were evacuated on the coast as the Waikanae River hit a one-in-10-year flood level, while the Hutt River and Wharemauku Stream also kept Civil Defence on its toes.

The Fire Service received 423 emergency calls between 5am and 3pm for the Wellington region, and attended 320 callouts for storm damage, flooding or requests for assistance.