Days after Cyclone Gabrielle brought all her fury to Hawke's Bay, isolated villages are still disconnected.
Each day, contractors are making more progress on the clean-up.
1News paid a visit to the inland community of Rissington to see first-hand the devastation, and meet some of those trying to work out just how they begin to pick up the pieces from their shattered lives.
Among those who call Rissington home are Robbie Wigmore and his five-year-old son Benson Andrews, who is trying his best to support his dad.
He's curious to see inside a house that's no longer safe. Peering through a window, he spots something precious: "There's my scooter."
Robbie is still stunned by what he sees.
"I want Kiwis to know this could happen to them and weather can be a lot worse than you think," he said.
The community's helping those stuck on the other side of the river after the bridge washed away.
Essentials, including LPG tanks, are being delivered by boat, and bringing people and their pets out.
"We just saw our house for the first time… lost everything but saved our cat," one woman said.
Iwi are also involved, hiring their own helicopters to deliver generators, WiFi connectors and food.
A community trying to get by, when they've been hit by disaster.
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