Cyclone Gabrielle: Esk Valley, Hawke’s Bay locals pick through remains of properties in scenes of devastation

As the warm sun beats down on the battered Hawke’s Bay, devastated homeowners are today picking through the ruins of their broken homes in the Esk Valley.

The scene along SH5 on the outskirts of Napier – the route between the city and Taupō – is one of pure devastation.

Large banks of mud and silt line the side of the state highway where crews have worked tirelessly to clear at least one lane of the road for essential travel.

A railway line surrounded by silt in Esk Valley on Saturday morning. Photo / Neil Reid

The clean up job after Cyclone Gabrielle sparked flash flooding, including in devastated Esk Valley near Napier, will be immense. Photo / Neil Reid

Lines crews from Unison were also on site this morning as their long and arduous job – including in dangerous conditions – continues to try and restore power to Hawke’s Bay.

Some locals were walking their dogs along the now mud and silt-lined SH5.

Large clouds of dried dirt billow behind vehicles that go past.

A sports field caked in silt and mud, four days after deadly floodwaters ripped through Esk Valley, Hawke's Bay. Photo / Neil Reid

The Esk Valley is renowned for being one of the most picturesque areas in Hawke’s Bay; an area famous for vineyards, fruit-growing orchards and holiday accommodations.

But since Cyclone Gabrielle tore through, it has been left devastated.

Some houses now have cars and boats through roofs.

Others are swamped with mud; in some places a now-rancid-smelling substance.

This flooded car is among many vehicles destroyed by flash flooding in Esk Valley. Photo / Neil Reid

Lawns, gardens and driveways are no more, with Esk Valley homes covered in silt and mud following Tuesday's deadly flash floods in the eastern North Island. Photo / Neil Reid

Railway lines along the highway tell the tale of just how powerful the deadly force of floodwaters created by Cyclone Gabrielle was.

Steel rails have been sucked up off the ground and in some places now resemble little more than mud-caked pick-up sticks.

Entire orchards – including areas of grape vines and apple trees – have been wiped out.

A battered Esk Valley farm and hothouses in the aftermath of Tuesday's flash floods in the eastern North Island. Photo / Neil Reid

In some vast paddocks, entire trees and vines have been ripped out and swept several hundreds of metres away.

Other areas where fruit trees remain – including apple crops which were set to be picked in the days following Cyclone Gabrielle – some poke out through up to 2m of silt; silt which will need to be removed quickly if the land is to be used for fruit growing again.