THE EARTHQUAKE

Hokitika Guardian, 20 June 1929, Page 6

THE EARTHQUAKE

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BAD DAY AT WESTPORT

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MURCHISON UPHEAVAL. LIKE A NIGHTMARE. LANDSCAPE’S RAPID CHANGES. [By Telegraph, Per Press Association.] NELSON. June 19. The Murchison upheaval was one quite? unpar«vllelecLin the recorded history of this country. The story of the refugees - who/arrived . here last night from, the- scene is .- oneyof - experiences that resemble in their grotesque horror some awful nightmare. The stories when pieced together, give a picture of,- the; sudden,, visible transformation of the landscape such as could conjure up only the idea of how the terrain used to be altered by pristine ‘natural forces iii an era long before it was in human habitation.' A Nelson man who was in Murchison all through the earthquake and on. Monday night said the whole landscape was altered. At 10.30 a.in. on Monday the earthquake in. all. its violence burst upon Murchison with great suddenness and within a few moments the whole landscape seemed to rock and heave. Huge landslides occurred '-and before the horrified eyes of the townspeople, who had rushed from the dancing buildings, two hills absolutely melted away into their foundations.

Where unbroken ridges had stood gullies appeared,' and it seemed as if the whole surrounding count''yside would tumble down in ruin. Within only a few minutes every building in Murchison . was rendered uninhabitable, and although the first great "violence of the shock soon wore off the movement of the ground was slid so severe that it was impossible tr walk easily upon it. Shocks ol groat,,.or. seyei’j.fes ...continued during the remainder of Monday, all that night and Tuesday, and right up tr the time when the majority of the people left fol* Nelson at noon. The most remarkable feature of the upheaval is that' it was accompanied by a crashing roar and loud explosions The reverberations of the sounds ' com ing from within the hills. The biggest explosion at 10.30 on -Monday morning was an' unnerving occurrence. The effect of the explosion was tliat it blew a whole hillside across the vallc of the River Matakitaki, blocking, u; the stream completely, the debris ex tending right across from tlic fallm heights on the western bank to ■ range of hills on the eastern side that is, for a distance of over half : mile. It dammed the Matakitn!: River with debris to a width of threequarters of a mile, and to a depth o< well, over 100 feet. One refugee re marked: “You can imagine how goo<’ we thought it was when we were won dering whether it was metal or watei which would get. us first.” .. The scene of the big explosion was three and a half miles from Murchison. and the upheaval'was accompanied by a crashing roar, punctuated by loud explosions, apparently within th< hills. The aspect .of the country suddenly' altered, and, following on tin wrecking of Murchison houses, tie commotion continued. Detonatin' after detonation presaged the charne ter ,of a Sharper movement of earth When the inhabitants had time U take stock of their surroundings, i* was found that six people in tli< neighbourhood had been killed by landslides, numbers that later swelled as news from, the villages was slowly received. Huge falls of earth, too. had blocked the Buller as well as tie Matakitaki Rivers, and both stupanu at once began to back up behind tie earthquake-made dams. A huge volume of water has thus hacked up. ii Matakitaki, and it is feared that if the waters break away suddenly they will make n dean' sweep: of the wreck-ed-township. ■ - ' In one of the refugee’s opinion everything in Murchison will have ti ho rebuilt ns the township has been left without any water, light or power. The electric power' house is wrecked, and tlic generator smashed. A' Nelson mini'who was' there, referring to the blockage of the Matakitaki River, said the tlanger of flood was one of the main reasons why the people ‘ finally decided'to come away to Nelson. A few men have remained at the stricken town, and will not leave unless absolutely forced to do so. According to the Nelson man. everyone in Murchison behaved splendidly throughout the ordeal. One refugee remarked: “Lying on the wet ground and feeling the ground moving underneath, was an experience not to he forgotten. One felt that

MURCHISON’S BAD PLIGHT

RESIDENTS ALL LEAVING

WORST BELIEVED TO BE OVER

ENORMOUS ROAD DAMAGE

every explosion, as it came, would hurst up with terrific force from under one’s body. Towards morning, however we began to appreciate that when the explosions occurred, the accident shock was less severe. At odd; times when the .explosions seemed toj cease .for ten minutes, then we gotvery severe shakes. In the morning l we were more, reconciled to the ’quake and explosions except the violent ones, and began to risk going into the houses, getting requisites winch were .not thuiight of the day before. ~ MURCHISON ABANDONED. SHOCKS CONTINUE. WELLINGTON, June 19. The Acting Secretary General reports : A telegraph engineer visited Murchison to-day. He reports that everybody would be leaving Murchison to-' day. 1 ; Severe shocks still continue there. It is considered by the official referred to that the dam created by the blockage of the (Matakitaki River will overflow. rather than break through. The Postmaster at Murchison reports: As far as is ascertainable, the Matakitaki River is not yet up to, the lop of'the dam. The Maruia River has reached its lowest level dam, and is flowing over. Tho Matiri River position is unknown. The Buller River is now running at normal over its dam at Fern Fiat.

There is now probability of the road between Glenliope and Murchison being carried away by the rain. The water -is widening the road fissures. . Only twenty people are now left in Murchison. : '' Some roadmen arrived in Murchison this morning from the Manila Saddle. They reported that all of the' country between the Upper Matakitaki and Fern Brav has been carried, away. , -... )

Matakitaki River, beyond the lower blokage, is blocked up for six miles, and it now resembles Lake Rocoitoi. * • . . ■ ■

The roadman from Sullivan’s Bridges (Lower Buller) reports time miles of road and telegraph line -have been carried into the river.

The telegraph, engineer states that the Murchison houses are all uninhabitable. The Postmaster at Murchison reports as follows:. “4.10 p.m., Murchison had further tremors during the past night. One was almost as severe as the severest before. There was no further damage beyond landslips. Rain set hi this morning and this will accentuate the landslips. It is reported to-day that there is a crack 14 feet wide near Kerr’s mill, at Owen, which may take the road into the river. ,

HON. ATM ORE’S STATEMENT. EVERY ASSISTANCE FROM GOVERNMENT. NELSON; Juno 19. When the. Murchison refugees arrived here to-night, Hon Air Atmore, who is remaining in the district for a few days as Government representative on the spot, addressed the gathering. He said tliat the. Prime Minister luid stated in his message to the people in the affected areas that the Government would not be found wanting in its recognition of its duty to the people of Murchison and other districts stated to have suffered from the shake. In that statement the Prime Minister was truly representative of all New Zealanders. Mr Atmore said that lie was particularly pleased to see a letter in that evening’s issue of the “Nelson Evening Mail,’’ from .Mr Hugh

Fraser. • Clerk to the Murchison County Council, in which the statement was made that, in his opinion, the worst was over, and that in a comniendiibly optimistic strain, Air Fraser asked the people of ATurchTson to look forward with hopefulness, to the' future. Tliat was the right spirit, continued the Minister, :in which to face the present disaster. Ho predicted that Afurchison and the surrounding country would again be peopled by happy.' prosperous men. and their children. Tie proposed to stay iit the district a few days as representative of the Government. He would ho pleased to assist in every way.

Mr G. C. Black, Members for Mo‘4

tueka, who had conic over to meet 1 1 is Murchison constituents, briefly referred to the Prime Minister's kindly message, sent on behalf of all New Zealanders. He said that tlic Minister of Education’s presence in the district was an evidence of the Government’s desire to carry out the kindly wish "of the Prime Minister.

THE ’QUAKE CENTRE. OFF EAST COAST OF SOUTH ISLAND. SYDNEY, June 19. The Riverviow Observatory here, in charting the centre of the earthquake, fixes it at Longitude 175 degrees east, and Latitude 42 degrees south. This roughly is one hundred miles off the cast coast of tho South Island of ‘New Zealand. LONDON PRESS VERSIONS. SAY “ DOMINION ROCKED.” WELLINGTON, June 19. Exaggerated and alarmist accounts of the earthquake were published in some the English newspapers, according to advices received by the Prime Minister (Rt, Hon. Sir Joseph Ward). Steps were taken by the Prime Minister to acquaint the High Commissioner for New Zealand in London of the correct position, authority being cabled for the publication oF an authentic statement in the United Kingdom. ■ Similar action has since been taken by Sir Joseph Ward through the Prime Ministers of Australia and Canada, and the British Consul at New York. The following were characteristic of the headings used in some evening papers in London : * 1 “Earthquake Havoc in New Zealand.” “The Shaky Isles.” “Dominion- Rocked.” “Enormous and Widespread Damage.” “Screaming Women and Children.” THREE RIVERS BLOCKED. WELLINGTON, June 19. The Acting-Secretary of the General Post Office has received the following further information from the Chief Postmaster of Nelson : ' Have just spoken to the Postmaster at Murchison at Gowan Bridge. He informs me that the residents of Murchison are all leaving for Nelson. Severe earthquakes still continue. The Matakitaki, Maruia and Matiri rivers are all completely blocked. jt is understood that the Buller river is now flowing over the blockage, hut there is nothing definite in this respect.

Heavy rain is setting in. This is likely adversely to affect the temporary repairs to the roads, etc. The Murchison Post Office building itf’severely wrenched out of plumb. The cliinliieys have fallen. It is otherwise intact. W UPPER, MARUIA. v. MORE HOPEFUL REPORT. . ru";' WELLINGTON, June 19. -The. Acting Secretary General rej ports:—-Some 12 men Idlt Murchison \ for Alaruia, across country, this morn- ] ing, to -assist in bringing women and j children from there. Motor trucks i are staying at Murchison until these

people arrive. The Alaruia River is reported to be blocked in the Gorge at Glengarry by a rock that is some hundreds of feet high, and that the river will probably flood the Maruia plain.

The Telegraph Engineer reports that refugees from Lower Alaruia (Ariki) have just arrived. They report all well. They state the Maruia River is working round the slip at Glengarry and at Holmans.

Messrs Roberts, James, Burnetts and Nalders are remaining a few days as they are blocked by water.

TTie report from Upper Maruia is all ,s wen .iml the damage is not as ‘severe as in -be vicinity of Murchison. * LAKE ROTORUA. LIKE A BASIN TIPPED ABOUT. NELSON, June 19. “Lake Rotorua rocked from side to side like a huge basin ol water being tipped about.’.’ In these words, one member of a Nelson shooting party at the lake, described to a “Mail” reported to-day the effect df • the earthquake. Half an hour after tho main shake, the water receded from the hotel shore of the lake, and exposed the fake bed for about yards. It then came back in a series of large waves.

The bridge over the Gowan River at the lake was torn from its piles and ihe Links iff "be river, and was hurle I up stream. The wrecked structure was carried still further by the Gowan waters, which were temporarily flowing hack into the lake. The water then turned again to its normal course, and carried' the bridge hack against the piles. The jetty has been smashed, and the Lake Hotel, of which Mr Flowers is the proprietor, is badly damaged. Slips and fissures on the road between Gowan bridge and the lake ha\e rendered it absolutely impassable. Yesterday there were tears Hor the safety of two men who were camped in the bush at the head of the lake. OTHER PARTICULARS.

Dr Wicken, who left for the Lyell to attend the two injured roadmen, with a broken leg and a broker jaw respectively, had to walk lor seven miles, and could only cycle for four miles. The slips on Maruia road have been cleared enough for two cars to get here from Lester’s near Springs Junction. There are men out on Lewis Pass road of whom no news'lias yet been received.

'The Miss Ferguson killed with others on Upper Maruia, is presumed to bo a daughter df Airs Thompson of Maruia, who was recently married.

The miner Chamley, killed in Upper Buller district, was a son of Mrs ChamIcy, a well known Reelton resident. The wife of one .of the victims ol the Afurchison disaster (Mr Charles Morel), who was . Overtaken by the debris from tlic hill blown away behind Mr Busch’s farm, is a member of the well known Alirlin family of Ikamatua, having formerly been Miss Jessie Mirim. She had been married only about a year. The hill bursting was so terrific that it caught Ml- and Mrs Alorel and overwhelmed their homestead on the opposite side of the river, injuring -..r Morel so severely that he succumbed.

At a meeting of the State Minors Union last evening, it was "decided that work would cease lor the remainder of the week, owing to the earthquakes, as there is danger of fresh falls from the roof and of the pillars working. Last night’s shock, about 8.5 o’clock, was one sucli as might have dangerous effects underground. CYCLONE AND MORE SHOCKS. KARAMEA ISOLATED. AVESTPORT, June 19. The residents of Westport last night experienced another nerve-wracking night. There were quakes, some of a heavy and sustained character. They came in quick succession. Many of the people wore unable to stand the strain of the shaking houses. They camped out in the open. People were lighting fires in the streets and taking their food there.

Throughout to-dav' a cyclone has raged, thus- adding to the trying experiences. Often, while the houses were rocking under the quakes, they were also subjected to a heavy bombardment from the cyclone, which took on almost the nature of a whirlwind, seemingly attacking the bouses from all sides at once.. Reports from corhyvale suggest that Karamea has suffered greatly and is isolated.

HUGE LAND SLIDES. AVESTPORT, June 19. Karamea road on the Westport side, right back to Bluff is almost obliterated by land slides, according to news IY-m Corhyvale. “It is not a question of maintenance, but of reconstruction,” stated a settler, Mr J. A. Munson, who came through from Corhyvale to-day. Ho emphasised the need tor prompt action being taken to provide access to the settlers, who are in a state of isolation. WESTPORT REPORT. BLOCKAGE OF COMMUNICATIONS. WELLINGTON, June 19, The Acting-Secretary of the General Post Office states that considerable interruptions have beep experienced on the land lines that were recovered this afternoon between Greymouth and Westport. TTe traffic is badly congested, but with ■ a favourable run through the night, it is hoped that the position will he much relieved by the morning.

The Chief Postmaster at Westport reports: Owing to line faults there has been no communication with Karamea since -Monday. PREMIER'S SYMP.'VTH Y. PRACTICAL HELP OFFERING. WELLINGTON, June 19. The Government, in common with all other sections of the community announces Sir J. Ward, have recoiled information is to the loss of life in connection with the ’quake with the deepest regret and hasten to express to the relatives of those who mne so tragically lost their lives, their sincere condolences. Speaking on behalf of the Government, I desire to say vve shall not be found wanting in practical sympathy and shall he prepared to extend a generous measure of assistance to those who have suffered through this disastrous visitation.

At the request of the' Government arrangements are being made by the Anchor Shipping Gov. to despatch tmArahura from Nelson to Westport in ease she is required to take people off', in the event of an emergency arising from the blocked Buller. A ’QUAKE VICTIM. WELLINGTON, June 19. Arthur Douglas Stubbs, third engineer at Golden Bay■ cement works, victim of tbe earthquake at Tarakolie, hailed from Wellington. He served in the South African AVar witn the Second Contingent, r ■ GEOLOGICAL REPORT. WELLINGTON, June 19. The Observatory at Ivelburn lias still been continually recording further shocks, which-from 11.30 on Alondny until 9 a.m. on Tuesday, were 110, gradually diminishing in Irequeucy. Preliminary geological investigations are being started by Grange and Ferrar of the Geological Survey, who left last night for that purpose. Export opinion here is that the epi-centre of the shake was close to Murchison. A RELIEF FUND. WELLINGTON, June 19. Wellington Red Cross held an emergency" meet ing and voted £SO for the

immediate relief of ’quake sufferers and has opened a fund. ‘ WHERE DID ’QUAKE ORIGINATE? VIEWS OF AUTHORITIES. . CHRISTCHURCH, June 18. “It fs very difficult to say where the earthquake originated,” said Prolessor R. Speight yesterday. “From the location and severity of the dam-, age, it would seems to ibc in northwest Nelson. However, first reports are unreliable, and people are liable to estimate the severity of a shock by ■the number of houses that come down. The origin of- the'shock may l>e in an area like the north-west of Nelson, where there is very little population and the severity, of the shook may never be known there. “From the extent ,of country over which the shock was felt this would seem to lie one of the most severe ever known in New Zealand. Local shocks are usually of surface origin, but when an extensive one like this occurs it is safe to presume that the origin is deep in the earth. The fa.ct that, the shock was long aiid undulating rather than sharp and vertical seems to bear this out. “That the shock was felt severely in many parts of the West ( and Nelson may be due to the fact that the whole place is full of faults. When a place is si iru a ted near a fault, ft feels a shock more severely even though it is distant from the origin and "the nearby fault is dead. There are faults at all the places where the damage, seems to have been greatest. The Denniston fault runs along the coast close to Westport; Nelson College is quite close to the V airnoa fault, and the Takaka valley formation is determined by two faults. In fact, the dominant natural. features of north-west Nelson are duetto faults. These are thought to hi? dead,"Unit no one really knows, and Inovements may still occur in them. - : ' ‘ WAS IT UNDER THE SEA ? y

“Certain earthquake origins lie off the western coast of New Zealand, and the ’quake may have come from there. The extra severity of the ’quake on the west as compared with the east coast lends colour to this idea. Earthquakes under the sea are usually accompanied by tidal waves, but none are reported. However, submarine shocks do occur without waves.”

Commenting on the direction in which the vibrations travelled, Professor Speight said that he had not been able to pick out any particular movement. Reports from the North Island described the movement as a rotary one, and people in Christchurch had said that the shock seemed to them to ho moving with a swinging movement. Rotatory movements were known and had heen recorded in Japan. This did not mean that the crust of the egrtli ,was actually moving round, hut that the vibration* wore gettinjg very complicated. The- submarine noises. reported from Cook Strait and Hawcra, sounding like .heavy .gunfire,, accompanied earthquakes. “Westport seems to feel shocks with unusual .severity,” remarked Professor Speight. “That is probably because it stands' on alluvial ground. . Alluvial and built-up ground always moves more than solid earth.

“Other shocks which have affected Westport have been definitejy located as coming from an earthquake eentie some distance off the coast. Ibis one, however, seems to be centred about the Buller Gorge, 120 miles north of Christchurch. This may lie confirmed when roports come to hand, though at present the destruction docs not seem to have been much more severe at Murchison than elsewhere.

“If bridges have been destroyed, as some of the reports state, the ’quake has been a very serious one. Bridges are often damaged, but it is very seldom that they are destroyed. If this has occurred at Ngahere, as is reported, then the origin must be further west than we suppose. It- is a matter for subsequent investigation to say where the exact origin was.” AN EARTHQUAKE AREA. BUILDING SHOULD BE IN FERROCONCRETE. From an examination of the seismographic records taken at the Magnetic Observatory during the last two dijys, Mr H. F. Skey said yesterday that, in his opinion, the origin of the earthquake lay a. little west of north of Christchurch, probably in the Duller Gorge district. “Further shocks can be expected for at least a fortnight,” said Mr Skey. Up to 10.30 a.m. yesterday thirtythree after shocks had been recorded, and Mr Skey said that many others, too distant to be felt in Christchurch, would be felt at the origin. A considerable shock occurred one and and three-quarter hours after the main fracture, and another half an hour later. “These were real earthquakes,’’ remarked Mr Skey, “though, compared with the. main one, they were trivial.” Tin look 2osec to reach 'Christchurch from the time the fracture occurred at the origin. Mr Skey remarked that now that the northern part of the Most Coast and Nelson had proved themselves earthquake areas people^should not be in any hurry to repair the damage done. Any future construction should be solely of ferro-concrete. the only safe building material in earthquake areas. In Japan, where ferro-concrete had proved its value during ’quakes, one ferro-concrete chimney had been built 600 feet in height. This was quite safe when a sufficiently weighty foundation was given,