February 14 2024 marks a year since the full force of Cyclone Gabrielle hit much of the North Island.. leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.
Some regions were hit much harder than expected - 11 people were killed... turning hillsides into slips; flooding rivers and land; damaging infrastructure, homes, businesses, and cutting power and communications networks.
Large areas have since been deemed too dangerous to live in - and many people are still living in temporary accommodation while they figure out their future.
In this glimpse of those horrific days, we began with the stark red weather warnings which came from Metservice several days before the cyclone arrived.