SEVERAL SHARP EARTH TREMORS ROCK DISTRICT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 10, 15 March 1950, Page 5

SEVERAL SHARP EARTH TREMORS ROCK DISTRICT

Whakatane and the district south to Galatea and Murupara were rocked by prolonged and severe earthquakes early yesterday morning which, although they did. not cause any serious damage, were sharp enough to knock objects from shelves and slam doors. The quakes were felt all over the Rangitaiki Plains and up the Opouriao Valley to Ruatoki and east to Waimana. Shakes- at various times were felt for over an hour starting from about 6.12 a.m. The first shake was the worst. More of a jolting, quivering motion it woke most people at Whakatane with its movements and accompanying loud rumble. This is considered to be the worst felt in the town for many years. From then on there were a number of smaller shakes until at about 7.15 another violent one made its contribution before the disturbances began to die away. The next one of any severity occurred at about 10 a.m. v

At Whakatane the first \ violent shake rattled crockery in cupboards and swung doors to and fro. In some homes dishes were dashed to the floor while in a number of offices in the town files and books were thrown from shelves. In another home the jolt stopped a clock at the exact time of the shake 6.12 a.m. Apart from these minor damages lapthing serious was reported.

Galatea, Murupara and Te Whaiti also experienced yesterday’s sharp shocks, but it was apparently not so severe as at Whakatane. Residents of that area say that a more violent shake was felt at 4.45 a.m. on Monday, which threw goods from shop shelves and knocked objects about in private homes. However, there was no major damage reported. Te Whaiti residents say that earth tremors have been much more frequent in the last few weeks and more violent in the district than has been the' case for many years.

In one Whakatane grocer shop the goods packed in the window were thrown out of place and when the manager arrived at work he found his previously neatly , displayed window in shambles. Another shop had cases knocked off" shelves. The only report of a chimney being damaged was one that did not topple down but the top portion was turned awry and left in a precarious position. While Edgecumbe residents felt the shake yesterday people living at Awakeri and Thornton seemed to get it the worst. A full jug of milk was toppled from the table by the force of the shake in one Awakeri home.