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20 Feb 2023

In photos: Cyclone Gabrielle damage becomes increasingly clear

6:19 am on 20 February 2023

Houses on Joll Road in Havelock North were inundated with contaminated mud during Cyclone Gabrielle, but the community and Navy pitched in to help clean up the street and homes.

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 freed by crew from the HMNZS Te Mana, near the Tutaekuri River in Napier.

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

Pictures of Joll Road, Havelock North. The town was largely spared from the cyclone but a small pocket wasn't so lucky. This street backs on to the Mangarau Stream, and was ravaged. A stark contrast to the manicured lawns and neatly trimmed hedges on neighbouring streets.

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

A sign in the window of a fish shop in Havelock North, as staff recover from Cyclone Gabriel.

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 on the east coast of Wairarapa, post-Cyclone Gabrielle.

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 after they were hosed out by firefighters following flooding in Tīnui, near the Wairarapa coast, during Cyclone Gabrielle.

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

Silt covered paddocks outside Tīnui, near Wairarapa's east coast

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, near Wairarapa's east coast.

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, near the cost in Wairarapa.

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

Beer mats hung outside the Tīnui pub Wairarapa, during the clean-up post Cyclone Gabrielle

Tīnui pub Photo: RNZ/ Phil Pennington

Ruined chairs outside the Tīnui pub, Wairarapa, during the clean-up post Cyclone Gabrielle

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 sorted supplies in Haumoana in the Hawkes 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