For the last 60 years the annual Word Press Photo contest has been setting the bar high for photo journalism around the world and this years 59th annual competition is certainly no exception with a broad selection of stunning entries covering humanitarian disasters, endangered animals and sharing incredible moments that would otherwise go unnoticed.

Each of the 82,951 photos that where submitted tell a different and compelling story that's been witnessed first hand by the 5,775 photographers that entered and somehow they've been narrowed down to just a few winners. Here they are.

Mexico’s Colima Volcano erupts

Mexico’s Colima Volcano erupts in spectacular fashion at night putting on an impressive display of hot ash and volcanic lightning.

Hope for a New Life

The top prize for the competition went to the photo above from Warren Richardson which shows a man passing a baby through a barbed fence at the Hungarian-Serbian border in Röszke.

Storm Front on Bondi Beach, Australia

The top prize in the Nature category went to the photo above taken by Rohan Kelly which shows an impressive almost tsunami-like cloud looming over unsuspecting sunbathers.

This photo shows a Bornean orangutan climbing over 30 meters high in the Palung National Park in Indonesia, taken by Tim Laman.

Haze in China

This hazy looking photo taken in China of Tianjin city won first prize in the Contemporary Issues category.

Refugees arrive in Greece

Photographer Sergey Ponomarev took first prize in the General News category for this striking photo of refugees arriving on a boat in Lesbos, Greece.

Cloud of snow and debris on Everest

This photo won second prize in News Stories and shows the moment a huge plume of snow and debris hurtles towards a base camp on Everest, triggered by an earthquake.

Tough Times for Orangutans

This photo taken by Tim Laman won first place in the Nature Stories category and shows a Sumatran orangutan threatening another male in a forest located in Indonesia. 

Crash

This photo taken by Christian Walgram won first prize for the Sports category and shows the dramatic moment Czech Republic’s Ondrej Bank crashes during a downhill race in Colorado, USA.

China’s Coal Addiction

Kevin Frayer took top prize for this photo in the Daily Life category which shows two men in China pulling a tricycle next to a coal plant.

Tianjin Explosion From Above

This aerial photo by Chen Jie shows the aftermath of the explosion that rocked Tianjin back in August 2015.

Whale Whisperers

Looking like concept art from a video game this incredible image won second prize in the nature category and shows divers swimming around a humpback whale in waters near the Revillagigedo Islands, Mexico.

Source: worldpressphoto.org

h/t Sploid