SEVERE ’QUAKE

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1932, Page 5

SEVERE ’QUAKE

DAMAGE CAUSED IN HAWKES’ BAY DISTRICT. (Per Press Association — Copyright.) WELLINGTON, September 16. The Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department received the following reports of an earthquake in the proximity of Gisborne. From Wairoa: —A severe earthquake occurred af 1-20 a.m., and some o! the town biddings were materially damaged, but no reports of injury or loss of life have been received. All north lines have been lost owing to a break in the eabl e crossing the Wai-roa River in the township. ■ ■ >i From Hastings;—A prolonged, severe' earthquake occurred at 1.25 a.m. The shake was also severe at Napier, but particulars are unobtainable. ~ experience at Napier.

NAPIER, September 16,

A prolonged earthquake with a rotary motion was felt at 1.30 .this morning, and the absence of jolting motion apparently accounted for the absence of damage Its centre appeared to be some) 'distance away, jand the first shock was followed by several minor, ones. The surrounding districts (suffered no damage.

FURTHER REPORTS ANNOUNCED

WELLINGTON, September 16. The secretary of the General Post Office (Mr McNamara), has received the following reports from various offices in Gisborne-.and Hawkes. Bay districts insjconnection with the earthquake which was experienced in those ~ di-s 7 . tricts early .this morning. •-, -•■

Gisborne.—Portion of the wall of. the Anglican Church fell outward, and a superficial examination discloses that the Chief Post Office tower sustained a serious crack. Ther e is a bad crack in the parapet over the custom house, and an examination by the Public Works Department will take place almost immediately. Further reports will follow. Only moderate shocks are reported, from other portions <of this district, although it is understood that Wairoa, wa« ato badly shaken. Opotiki.—sjiockis have been experienced, apparently. close to Gisborne. Woodville.—A prolonged and fairly severe earthquake was felt at 1.27 a.m., but no -'damage is reported.

SUCCESSION OF TREMORS. j ■: i) • ■< ' . Gooes ANfl,'stocks displaced. HASTINGS, September 16. A prolonged tvhtl fairly severe earthquake! which began at 1,‘23 o'clock this morning, shook Hastings and district and was followed by eleven lighter tremors between that hour and 6 a.m. No damage of any real amount has been reported locally, although the tremor was strong enough to displace household goods, and the stocks in shops..

The tremor may be .compared in severity with the lesser earthquakes that have been experienced here since the two great earthquakes of last year, and to many people, it was probably unsettling from the nervoils aspect; At the municipal hall, where some eight or nine hundred people were attending a dance, little notice cf the ’quake w f as taken, although a few people left the building, but they soon returned and the others went on dancing as soon as the lights were restored.

The needle of the Hendy De Dennes seismograph w r as thrown off the chartand no time recorded therefore is available. A personal observation, however, would seem to show that it lasted at its fullest intensity for a wdiole minute, and died away as gradually as it had come. It was more swinging than jolting in motion and therefore net especially alarming. EXTENSIVE MINOR DAMAGE. WELLINGTON, September 16. There was an extraordinary earthquake at 1.27 this morning, and extensive damage resulted at Gisborne and Wairoa. At Gisborne numerous chimneys and parapets are down, wipdows were broken, and buildings cracked and damaged. At Wairoa. buildings were materially damaged. The ’quake was severe at Napier and Hastings, but no loss of life is reported anywhere.

WAIROA DAMAGE. PAPER OFFICE LOSSES. WAIROA, September 16. The town bad a violent awakening at 1.27 this morning when a ’quake, admitted to bo. fi-ty per cent, greater in intensity that the one on February 3, 1931, occurred. The ’quake visited the town with awful suddenness,' and many buildings were seriously damaged. Some collapsed, two cars being buried in one case. The scene at the “Star” newspaper office beggars description. Every machine was thrown out of place and tap paper will be unable, to publish for several days. A lino-operator had a miraculous escape as a falling linotype crashed through a partition just grazing the employee’s head. There was a remarkable absence of damage apart from goods and fittings in all buildings re-erected since tho 1931 ’quake.