Watch: Drone's journey along Tairāwhiti's cyclone ravaged SH35 

Haunting drone footage shows the destruction left in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle along Tairāwhiti's State Highway 35.

The footage begins at the Mangahauini River near Tokomaru.

A large section of SH35 running parallel with the river can be seen completely washed out.

Later, the done captures a bridge collapsed into the Hikuwai River.

Massive slips in the surrounding hillsides are also shown, illustrating the large scale of the weather event.

It comes as TVNZ chief correspondent John Campbell recently visited State Highway 35 to witness the massive clean-up effort after Cyclone Hale hit the region just over a month ago in January.

"Some of what you see on the coast at present almost doesn't make sense," Campbell said at the time.

More on this topic

John Campbell tours Tairāwhiti's weather damaged SH35

Sun, Jan 22

3:34

Gisborne businesses reel in Cyclone Gabrielle's wake

Sun, Feb 19

2:07

State Highway 35 runs for 330 kilometres, from Ōpōtiki in the northwest to Gisborne's southernmost point; none of the communities it passes through can be reached by any other road.