IMMENSE TIDAL WAVE.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 132, 22 August 1868, Page 5

IMMENSE TIDAL WAVE.

[The following appeared as an Extraordinary on Monday last.}

EARTHQUAKE AND ERUPTION AT THE GROVE. The folloAving Telegrams Avere posted outside the Express Office, on Saturday evening last Telegrams from the Bluff report that betAveen 8 and 9 this morning, a terrific rush of water came in, with a very high tide, although not high water till 10 a.m., at 8 a.m. large bodies of kelp were washed in, which carried all the buoys some distance up the harbour. At 11 a.m., the tide fell 18 inches in 20 minutes, and rose again in a like period, and still keeps rising and falling. The harbour master at Port Chalmers reports that buoys in the channel have drifted from their position. Two large ships adrift off the Maori village SAvung round their anchors three times in one tide Avith an- eddy, where none existed before. At high water, 1 p.m., the tide continued to rise and fall about 7 inches, and at the x’ate of two in a minute. Oamaru, 10 a.m. There is a great change in the sea level since daylight. Tide rising and falling about 15 feet perpendicularly, at intervals of about 15 minutes, falling 8 or 9 feet below low water mark. Lyttelton, 10 "a.m. Heavy tidal waves this morning rising to level of wharf, and suddenly falling Bor 9 feet; still continues. Kaiapoi, 10 a.m. A tidal wave, 5 feet high, cache up the river at 3-40 this morning, continues at intervals of half-an-hour. White’s Bay, 10 a.m. There is a sudden flow of water about 30 yards inland. Rose again suddenly to high water mark. ’ The first tide this morning was 20 yards in beyond high water. Still continues to rise and fall rapidly.

"Nelson, 10 a.m. At liigb water, 6-30 tills morning, the tide remained as usual to 7 - 55, when it commenced to run in again at a rapid rate, coming over the Boulder bank in all directions up to 8-30; height of water about 5 feet. Sea much troubled.' Wellington, 1 p.m. The water in the bay has been rising and falling every few minutes since between 8 and 9 a.m. Dr. Hector, Government Geologist has reported on tidal wave. To-night at 11, it is expected that a severe earthquake will be felt. Another heavy wave is expected before the shake. Picton, 4-25 p.m. The tide through today has continued very irregular in its rise and fall, which was higher and lower than ever before known. The tides running out in 20 minutes, and coming in again in a like period. The Havelock mailmen, Philpotts and Laery have just arrived here, who state that a slight shock of an Earthquake was experienced at the Grove last (Friday) evening at 11 o’clock, accompanied by a loud rumbling noise, and an eruption took place in the Greek, throwing up large boulders, earth, and trunks of trees upon the banks. This statement was made on the authority of Mr. Duncan, of the Grove. Nothing unusual occurred at Blenheim, or neighbourhood. At midnight (Saturday) upon enquiry, we learned that the tides still continued to rise and fall irregularly at the various ports. All the telegraphists were on duty from 10 to 12 o’clock. Mr. Beatson informs us that at his farm he noticed an unaccountable rise in the Wairau river of several feet, which again receded in a few minutes, carrying away a quantity of fencing, &c. At the Awatere a similar sise was observed, and it is stated that a new ford has been formed near Templeton’s. Yesterday, from the ranges, the sea appeared to be very rough, with large breakers on the rocks at "White’s Bay and Port .Underwood, and especially at the bar. The Falcon lay just within the Bank, ready to take advantage of the first lull to get out for Wellington. Last evening, we heard that the sea had subsided greatly.