LONGER QUAKE

Hokitika Guardian, 14 February 1931, Page 5

LONGER QUAKE

IN HAWKE’S BAY. LASTS OVER MINUTE. (By Telegraph — l’er Presss Association) WEI/LI NOTON, February 13. Tlic Postmaster at Taihape reports to the Secretary of the G.P.0.: At 2 p.m. the local wireless receiving station reports the following ,'rom 2ZL Hastings: ‘'Very serious earthquake experienced at Hastings at 1.2.) p.m. All southern communication lost. Desires to obtain communication with Wellington immediately.” The earthquake was the heaviest yet experienced at Hastings. FELT OVER WIDE AREA. WELLINGTON', February 13. Telegrams from Press Association agents in many parts ot the North Island, including Tauranga, Te Awaniutu, Hamilton, Gisborne, Wairoa, Napier, Wanganui, Mnsterton, and Wooclville, all recorded shakes about 1.23 p.m. to-day. f The motion is described as being sharp and undulating. No serious damage is reported, but alarm has been caused,in most places. The same shock was also felt at. Blenheim. WIDER QUAKE. WELLINGTON, February 13 The Railway Department reports that there is no communication north of Ormondville, The wires are interrupted, and the information is that this quake hna extended over a larger area than the former one on Tuesday, February 3rd. SEVERE AT TARADALE. WELLINGTON, February 13 The 'Hydro-electric Branch ot the Public Works Department reports that Taradale Sub-station has reported that the power from Waikavemoana which had been restored yesterday afternoon, ceased to-day shortly after one thirty o’clock. The shake then at Taradale was quite a severe one. SEVERE AT WANGANUI. WANGANUr, February 13. A shock of earthquake nearly as prolonged and severe as that of February 3rd., was felt here at 1.30 to-day. The people rushed into the streets in the business area. The damage done was only slight. SHOCK AT GISBORNE. GISBORNE, February 13. An earthquake lasting about a minute, with a sharp undulating motion, occurred at 1.25 p.m. causing a rush to the streets, but no serious damage was reported. FURTHER SHOCKS. NAPIER. February 13. Following the big quake at 1.21 p.m., Beveral minor shocks were recorded, but nothing to cause alarm. Colenso Hill was affected by the 1.20 quake, a fair sized slip occurring. The telegraphic services and electric supply were severed for a time, but were restored late in the afternoon. A large number of residents, including a fair proportion of ladies returned to-day, although the authorities continue to discourage the return of women and children. A SHARPER SHOCK LAST NIGHT. NAPIER, February 13. A particularly sharp, but short, shock was experienced at nine to-night. The movement was not heavy enough to do material damage. The employees of Napier Gas Company had a narrow escape in the big quake to-day in the Company’s Hastings Street buildings, when the motion commenced. They just gut out when the walls caved in. The weather to-night is fine. Rain is threatening. The sea is calm.

1 CENTRE 100 MILES OFF SHORO. NAPIER, February 13. The severest shake since the one which devastated Napier, was ''recorded at 1.30 p.m. to-day. The shake was slow and more gentle than the first, but it lasted over a minute. It brought down a further large portion of Bluff Hill. ' It also caused the walls in the ruined business area to totter. Several minor injuries are reported to men working in the city area, and several men were sent to the dressing . station. ’b Dr. Moore’s Hospital took a further backward tilt. All the work of clearing the town was stopped temporarily, but it was resumed after a period. There were many narrow escapes from falling walls and, buildings: The whole coast to the southward was buried in clouds of dust. r WAIPUKURAU AND WAIPAWA DAMAGE. WAIPUKURAU. February 13. Waipukurau, which .is the centre of the earthquake distributing area, experienced an exceptionally heavy shake at 1-28 this afternoon. The buildings rocked ominously, but there were no casualties. The Municipal Theatre is still a source of danger. The chimnevs, mostly rebuilt since Die fatal ~ .Tuesday, are safe. Minor damage was done to tradesmen’s stocks. Waipawa was apparently less fortunate for stable chimneys were razed to the ground.

Wanstcnd district was severely shaken.

The pupils of the primary ami secondary schools at Waipukurau wore salelv evacuated. 'The residents were terrified, but there was no panic. Il is the opinion of many that the shako was worse than that on l‘obruary Jid. The feeding of the travelling refugees ceased this evening. 1 hey are now lessening in number. The railways are coping with the exodus tralfie. The patients at the hospital and sanatorium are adequately boused and are reported satis actory.

Waipukurau citizens arc now billeting and feeding over -100 refugees. Supplies of food and clothing are voluntarily contributed by the people of Central Hawke’s Bay. AT TAURANGA. TAURANGA, February 13. A prolonged shock of earthquake lasting .itl ly thirty seconds was felt here at 1.211 p.m. It was more severe than the first heavy shock ot last week. No damage is reported.

SDNEY RECORDS. WORE THAN FEB. 3 SHAKE. SYDNEY, February 13. Rev, Father OL’enry, Director ot Riverview Observatory, reports that another earthquake shock, a more severe one that that which did so much damage in the same locality last woe;; was recorded to-day. It occurred aboiu 11.30 Sydney time. The Sydney Observatory reports that a disturbance of the severest occurred about 12.30 p.m. The first shock was so great that the lens recording the oscillations at the Riverview Observatory were broken off. SHOCK A RECORD. FOR SYDNEY OBSERVATORY. The Observatory authorities here declare that tin* seismograph to-day recorded the biggest earthquake in the history of the local observatory. The shock was so great that the pens were broken off the chart. Tt was at 11.31 a. m. A message from Adelaide states that at the Government Observatory there, the earthquake shock caused the needle to oscillate off the chart, swinging at least six inches.

The Seismologist of Riverview Jesuit Observatory, Sydney, having examined his charts at 4 p.m. said:—‘T iind that the epicentre of to-day’s shock was not New Zealand, but it was out on the ocean about one hundred miles off Die coast. There was a crumbling of I'm ocean bed. This would account For the shock being so widespread, and for it being felt in both Islands. -My seismograph is now steady.”

DEAN BROCKLEHURST. PROGRESSING SATISFACTORILY. NAPIER, February 9. Doan Brocklehurst, who was injured when the earthquake! wrecked St. John’s Cathedral, Napier, is now in the Napier Field Hospital, and is progressing satisfactorily. When the shake oecured Dean Brocklehurst was in the chapel of tlie cathedral conducting a special service, He was struck on the back by falling debris, and pinned to the ground. He struggled in an endeavour to free himself, hut was unable to so ns his vesiments had become entangled in the ruins around him. Airs Hill Thompson, of Napier, wlfo had been at the service. and bad rushed outside immediately the earthquake started, saw tlie Dean trying to free himself, and, borrowing a knife from a bystander, went inside the wrecked chapel, and cut away his vestments. The Dean crawled out from among tlie debris, but was unable to walk. Help was immediately secured, and fill© injured clergyman* was given medical attention.