EARTHQUAKE AREA

Hokitika Guardian, 5 August 1929, Page 7

EARTHQUAKE AREA

AERIAL SURVEY.

BACK COUNTRY BADLY SHATTERED.

CHRISTCHURCH, Aug 3.

“An aerial survey is the only possible way of judging the immense effect ,f the earthquake upon the country at the back of i Karamea and in the uyell district,” said Captain M, W. iluckley who returned yesterday from a stay on the West Coast during which he flew, with officers from the Public Works and the Marine Department over much otf the battered countryside beyond the Alps.

I‘Many of the hills, are all bro 1 ip,” he continued. “There are two or uore big slides on all of them. Streams .nd rivers are dammed by the slides n many places. There are three of .’our really big dams, with lakes (formed >ver a mile long, but in no case is any danger from flooding, as the rivers have found ways round the back >f the dams, and. the water is returnng to its usual course further down, the lakes are all on the Little Wan,'anui and the Karamea. “The fault line starts south of Buler, runs almost parallel to the coastine to Seddonville, across the Karamea .oad (three miles of which have been •ompletely wiped out), and then out to the coast line at Kongahu Point. A 'lance at a geological survey map reveals the fact that there is a line of ■faults’ caused by previous earth(uakes or old volcanoes, and it Was dong that line that the big ’quakes vere felt worst. There is another minor fault line near Denniston, and another itill at the back of Lyell. Captain Buckley said that the sliatfceredb nature of the countryside away from the coast, along the fault line was most remarkable. A true conception of the disturbance that had taken place was only obtainable from the air. indeed, that was the only possible vay, as there was little chance of penetrating on land. A journey up the duller as far as the mountain range would be a matter of weeks. A CHEERFUL LOT. “They are a cheerful lot over there now,” said Captain Bucley, when asked how the Westport people were progressing. “They are still having on an average about two ’quakes a night there, and they had qtlite a severe one a night or two ago, but they take them ■is a matter of course now. "Westport is getting back to normal again. It is a very busy town now There is a lot of shipping and all the people seem to working as hard as they can. All the chimneys built since the big ’quake are of tin from the roof up, and they look very funny till vou get used to them. The whole of the Post Office, excepting two rooms is now demolished. “The main effects remaining are the inconvenience caused to the minert and mills back from the coast. The state of the railway lines from the mines makes .the transportation of coal a difficult and slow matter.” In company with Captain Wliiteford, of the Marine Department, Captain Buckley made an aerial survey of the earthquake. There were ships lying in the roadstead outside the harbour waiting till coal could be brought for them Captain Buckley remarked upon the capability of the »*i.oth ’planes, in. one