In photos: Cyclone Gabrielle damage becomes increasingly clear

06:19 am on 20 February 2023

Flood damaged communities, like Joll Road in Havelock North, are at the beginning of a long clean up job after Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: RNZ/ Tess Brunton

The massive damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle around Hawke's Bay and Gisborne is becoming increasingly clear, days after the storm moved on.

RNZ's reporters are out in the field covering the clean-up and recovery efforts, and have filed images from some of the worst-affected regions.

A cow trapped in silt was spotted and dug out by crew from the HMNZS Te Mana, near the Tutaekuri River in Napier Photo: Supplied/ Defence Force

Flood damage on Joll Road in Havelock North

Piles of belongings and furnishings that were contaminated by floodwaters were piled outside into the street in Joll Road Photo: RNZ / Lauren Crimp

Navy crew were out helping with the clean up Photo: RNZ/ Tess Brunton

Houses on Joll Road in Havelock North have been inundated with contaminated mud Photo: RNZ/ Tess Brunton

Photo: RNZ / Lauren Crimp

Photo: RNZ/ Tess Brunton

Food and drink were being handed out to help keep the workers hydrated and fed as they shovelled and moved contaminated mud out Photo: RNZ/ Tess Brunton

Photo: RNZ/ Tess Brunton

Photo: RNZ / Lauren Crimp

Elsewhere in Havelock North - a sign in the window of a fish shop, as staff recover from the cyclone Photo: RNZ/ Tess Brunton

Damage in Tīnui, near the east coast of Wairarapa

Hundreds turned out, some by chopper, for Sunday's post-Cyclone Gabrielle community meeting in Tīnui, on the east coast of Wairarapa Photo: RNZ/ Phil Pennington

Homemade baking provided to whānau at a community meeting in Tīnui Photo: RNZ/ Phil Pennington

Rubbish outside Tīnui school after firefighters hosed silt from classes and the field Photo: RNZ/ Phil Pennington

School principal Simon Couling, in a classroom as clean-up efforts were underway Photo: RNZ/ Phil Pennington

Silt covered paddocks outside Tīnui Photo: RNZ/ Phil Pennington

Floodwaters left grass stuck in the Tīnui substation fence power is now back on Photo: RNZ/ Phil Pennington

An abandoned mud covered car outside Tīnui shows how high the Whareama River got Photo: RNZ/ Phil Pennington

Floodwaters reached almost to the bartop, and this coffee machine, in Tīnui pub Photo: RNZ/ Phil Pennington

Tīnui pub Photo: RNZ/ Phil Pennington

Aerial views of damage in Hawke's Bay

Masses of slips that have torn their way across hill country in the Hawke's Bay, post Cyclone Gabrielle Photo: RNZ/ Sally Murphy

The aftermath of massive flooding that swept through the Esk Valley during Cyclone Gabrielle. The river's normal path can be seen running down the right of the valley Photo: RNZ/ Sally Murphy

Haumoana, Hawke's Bay

Volunteers sorting supplies in Haumoana in the Hawke's Bay Photo: Supplied / Christie Campbell

With many roads out of action and supply lines to some places, many in the Hawke's Bay and Tairāwhiti communities were still reliant on supplies rounded up after the cyclone Photo: Supplied / Christie Campbell

Supplies being sorted at Haumoana, Hawke's Bay, post Cyclone Gabrielle Photo: Supplied/ Christie Campbell

Damage on Waihau Road in Dartmoor near Napier

Damage on Waihau Road, where it is acting as a dam against a small lake in Dartmoor near Napier. Photo: RNZ / Jordan Dunn

National leader Christopher Luxon visits Gisborne, while Finance Minister Grant Robertson sees the damage at the Redclyff substation

Photo: RNZ / Kate Green

National Party leader Christopher Luxon speaking to media on Sunday morning during a visit to Gisborne. Photo: RNZ

Apples and dried mud at Redclyffe substation after Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: RNZ/Lauren Crimp

Finance Minister Grant Robertson visits Redclyffe substation in Napier. Photo: RNZ/Lauren Crimp

Damage at the Redclyffe substation. Photo: RNZ / Lauren Crimp

Damage at an apple packing plant near Napier

Damage at an apple pack house near Napier Photo: RNZ / Sally Murphy

The clean-up at Plant Hawke's Bay

Photo: RNZ / Sally Murphy