QUAKE DAMAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1932, Page 6

QUAKE DAMAGE

G'ISBORNE REPORT. "A VERY HEAVY SHAKE. . j (Per Press Association — Copyright.) ; GISBORNE, September 16. Gisborne was -shaken by a sever© earthquake'at 1.27 this morning, fol-j lowed by a gucOession of slight tremors j lasting till 5.30, with one outstanding; jolt about 2.30. The initial quake was more severe than that experienced at the time of the Napier earthquake. Shop fronts, previously, suffered considerably, ''%nd the pavements were strewn with glass, ’whilst window • displays were thrown into confusion. Many chimneys are down, but structural damage is confined to a few buiJdiirfga, including Holy Trinity' church, where a brick gable was thrown clean over .the porchway, on to a grab's plot ■in front of tftie church. Colletts motors suffered heavily. The whole of the west wa'll, for a distance of 50 feet fell outward, and the back portion of the premises coWapsed, the rOof falling on to a number of cars. The parapet and side wall of Vincent’s paint shop fell crashing through to th e of ’ RobihSon’s tobacconist. The wkll of Wildish’s auction mart ;also fell outward.

The front foil out of Bell’s fruit shop. f 'At Mangapa.pa, heavy damage was sustained in jewellery and glassware ehbps, and trades pedple generally are busy this morning straightening out the ifiess; John Ormond, ia Well known citizen, was rushing out of Ormond’s motors when a second sharp shake came. He fell and sustained a slight concussion. ' At th e 'hospital .in several wards in ivKich planter was falling, the patients were quickly evacuated, the staff and patiOhts 1 preserving admirable presence of mind. ASt.' Helen’s (Home chimney crashed through'-the roof, but nobody wag injured. Many business people came into town soon after the first shake to survey the damage* arid look after their stock. The headlights of cars for the time being were the only available lights. Tile electric power service was sub’sequbntly restored. circuiting occurred at. a substation of the power station at Tekaraka doing subsequent 1 damage, v A-'ire at Tekaraka started prior to the earthquake and destroyed' a large buildirig, forriierly a boarding house (owned by ' Mrs Malone), and an adjoiriirig shop. f

FURTHER RETORTS. GISBORNE, "September .16. •i Structural 'damage at the hospital is not: extensive, being -confined to the women’s ward, where some bricks were displaced. The patients in this ward, wOre accommodated on .the verandahs, the others returning to their beds. ■'‘•jiliss 1 Negro’s unoccupied shop- at IVlaHgapapa, was badly damaged. The Post Office -tower suffered damage and probably will have to ■ come , down. ■ Two heavy iron, weights at Roebuck road bridge, came off, on 6 crashing through the footway. • Telegraphic communication with the : ?oiith is cut off. OPOTIKI, September 16. | 'There were two severe quakes, and ! also smaller ones. Many chimneys are ! down. The electricity failed about 1.30 a. in’. .' LATER REPORT. . GISBORNE, September. 16. Only two men were on duty at the telephone exchange, when the quake occurred, -and the telegraph oable operator was taking a message, when the line was lost. AH stuck to their posts and within a quarter-of an hour, a dozen clerks had repeated for duty, whilst to-day, even those on holiday leave returned to their poets. ’ The -po-st office buildings received a severe shaking, cracks appearing in several places, and the clock tower is badly damaged. - .No estimate of the damage at Col-; left(s :can be . given. The - roof rests, heavily ,on a number of oars.