Sally Paterson, Cyclone Gabrielle, 10 months later - Hawkes Bay NZ (DOCO 2025)

These images capture the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, which devastated my home region of Hawke's Bay in February 2023. Ten months later, the landscape still carried the scars of destruction – abandoned homes surrounded by silt and debris, bridges washed away – remnants of the cyclone’s force. The final image, however, shows a small plant growing from the brown earth, symbolising the slow but hopeful recovery. The resilience of family, friends and community since the disaster has been very inspiring.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.