Fujifilm will restore photos damaged by cyclone flooding, free of charge

Ripping through New Zealand last month, Cyclone Gabrielle was the worst storm to hit the country in decades. The North Island saw catastrophic flooding, and residents returned to find their homes and belongings covered in mud and debris. While many possessions can be replaced, that's not the case for photos. Which is where Fujifilm comes in. 

The photography brand is offering to restore precious prints damaged in February's storms at no cost to their owners. People can now register their interest on Fujifilm's website. In the coming months, the company will set up stations in flood-affected areas where residents can bring in photographs to be assessed and, if possible, revived.

In the meantime, Fujifilm advises people to dry their photos and keep them out of the sun. It also points out that freezing prints will stop bacteria from growing and doing further damage. Fujifilm isn't the first photography brand to help people rescue treasured memories — following Belgium's devastating floods in 2021, Canon worked with Happiness Brussels and Object Care to restore hundreds of photos.