SEVERE EARTHQUAKES CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1933, 1 September 1888, Page 3

SEVERE EARTHQUAKES CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE.

At eleven mlnuteß past four this mornIng there was experienced In ABbburton a very severe earthquake. The majority of householders were awakened by the shock, and furniture and crockery m some oases rattled loudly enough to cause a temporary scare. The ground swell was travelling m apparently a southerly direction, having been felt In Ohriatohuroh earlier m the mornlne. Doors left ajar were swung open or dosed with a bang, and the experience of sleepers was, In several Instances, of a ludicrous description. In many instances olookß were stopped. So far as we can learn no damage hai been done of any moment. There was a slight rambling heard prior to and during the continuance of the earthquake. The vibration lasted fully half a minute, and during its continuanoe three very violent shocks were felt. At seven minutes to 11 another shock was felt In Aihburton though not of long duration. This was succeeded by another, bnt this, too, was neither long or severe.

(PBB PRESS ASSOCIATION.) j Nbw PUMOurH, Septembar 1. j A prolonged earthquake shook with a , rambling noise was felt here at a quarter past foar this morning. ( Masterton, September 1. i A light bat prolonged earthquake was I felt at a quarter past foar this morning. I Wellington, Septamber 1. l At a quarter past foar this morning a I •hook of earthquake of excessively Icng < duration bat not heavy was felt here. > The direction was east to weßt. Kaikouba, September 1. At ten o'clock on Thursday night a ■harpish earthquake shook was felt here, bat at 12 minutes past 4 this morning the heaviest known here occarred, the dlreotlon being from WN.W. to E.S.E. A low rumbling sound was heard, wbioh was followed by a wavehke motion j for a second or two. Then came a heavy i upheaval, followed by further undulating?, ] buildings being shaken m an alarming f manner for fully sixty seoonds. Shortly . afterwards two less pi enounced but distinot shocks occurred *t varying < intervals. Several people rushed outeide \ BOantily clothed, The extent of the f damage bo far as is known is the deatruc- £ tion of one or two chimneys, the cracking of others,|and it is reported the breaking nf a statuary m the Roman Catholic . Ohuroh. , Nelson, September 1. c A. aevere shook of earthkaake nf un- f usually long duration was felt at 412 th'a p morning. No damage is reported beyond I • few brioks shaken from the top of one a or two chimneys. c Westpokt, September 1. A fearful shock of earthquake lasting over a minute was experienced at 10 ' minutes past four thiß morning;. This C etronger shock was followed at short m- a tervals by others of lesser magnitude up ( to 9 a.m. In fact for several houra the t earth w«s man almost continuous motion. r The first shook was the strongest a .id most „ prolonged ever felt here, and terrified many people who did not again go to bed. l Crockery and glassware were smashed and V brlok chimneys m course of erection were c *o damaged as to necessitate re-erect lon. The motion came from the sea, or East to i West. r There was another severe shook of earthquake at five miautes to eleven. ■" Ohristohuboh, September 1. In Ohrlstchuroh the effect of the earth tremor was very marked and a pot tlon of the Cathedral spire has come down owtag to the violence of the shook. The fihock was felt at ten minutes past four o'clock and was the n\ost severe ever experienced '. here. The Cathedral bells were set tolling, and continued to ting for several , minutes. Twenty-six feet was broken off the top of the spire. A few chimneys ( came down, and part of the wall of a ( house In Madras street north was Bhaken ' down. So far as is known at present no person w»s hurt. Great destruction of ' glass and cookery, especially m shops. A few windows were broken. The direction ' was apparently north-east to sonth-weßt. ! The duration was estimated at fully a , ttlnate. Nothing so severe has occurred •Inoe the shook of 1869. j The earthqnake caused a great oom- , motion here. People left their houses m ( numbers, bat returned when they found ( the shaking had cetsed, A considerable | crowd colleoted aroand the Cathedral, ] ■tones from the spire of which were , scattered over the pavement for several , yardi. One piece narrowly missed a man | Darned Bobs, who was passing along the , roadway at the time, Some elates were , knocked off the roof by the debris, but , the building is otherwise uninjured. It , bas been decided, however, not to hold ( servioe there to-morrow. A email portion ( of the stone work on the Durham street , "Wealeyan Ohuroh has been displaced, and , services to-morrow will be held m the ] Theatre instead of the Church . A quan- j tity of plaster is down m the Normal ( school. The obimneys fell m at the East , Christohurch sohool, and »t a few private j honiet, particularly m Victoria street. > Generally, however, the damage is much - less than was expected. In the suburbs , a few chimneys have fallen or been racked. , .No Injury to life or limb is reported. Later. The shock was felt severely m Lyttelton, bat little damage was done. The water of the fcurbor was agitated slightly, and vessels were observed to awing at their moorings. Six shocks have been felt sinoe the prinoipal one, but so slight that miny people did not feel them. They came at 4.30, 4.35, 4.45, 5, 1015 and 11.30. The weather is beautifully fine, About six feet of the Cathedral spire will have to be removed as the stones are loose. The wall of the Normal School is •lightly craoked. Chimneys were thrown down and piaster In many of thd rooms cracked. The damage seemß to have been worst on the north side of the town where the ground Is peaty, and where the prinoipal mischief occurred m 1869. The shock was felt . throughout the country districts, buc no damage is reported. A survey of the Cathedral shews that 26ft of the top of tha spire have fallen. The stones below the break are so loosened that it will be neceseary to remove them for about 6ft down The roof of the north side and the porch are slightly damaged by falling debris. A splinter of wood was struck from the interior of the roof by the concussion of stone falling on the plates and broke a gasalier. The remainder of the fabric is uninjured. The excitement is abated. Tim aku, September 1. An earthquake shuck lasting for fully a minute bat not of much violence was felt here at 4.11 this morning. It was strong enough to wake most people. The direction wh from between west and north. After the first and principal shook minor vibrations were felt m this district from time to time for at least half an hour later: Dunedin, September 1. At a quarter past four a slight shook, described as a uniform vibration, was felt here It lasted a quarter of a minute. The direction was east to west. Invercaegzll. September 1. A shook of earthquake was experienced at 4.15 this morning. The direction was from west to east and the shock lasted about 40 seconds, the oscillation being : ° very violent. Daring the earthquake shook, tons of ' ' *r«ter were forced out of the tanks at the gaawork, sand the gas-holders osoillated greatly, bat so far as can be aioertslued no cUntgt bai been done.