Earthquakes.

Manawatu Herald, 23 September 1902, Page 2

Earthquakes.

ALARM AT ADELAIDE.

Last Friday morning earthquake shocks were felt over a great portion of the South Australian State, buildings being shaken. At night, a few minutes past eight, the shocks were repeated much more severely, surpassing anything previously experienced in South Australia.

From cold the atmosphere became oppressively warm and intensely still. After a preliminary disturbance came a severe shock, lasting half a mipute, accompanied by a tremendous noise. Buildings rocked and trembled, walls cracked, chimneys toppled, and pic r tures and pottery fell, from the walls. There was a great panic among the people, who rushed into the streets in thousands. At Adelaide Hospital the patients left their beds, and some of them managed to get out, and refused to re-enter the building. At the Theatre Royal the audience began to stampede, but a panic was averted by the presence of mind of an actor named Ward, who ran on to the stage and announced that the noise was only the result of an experiment in connection with a forthcoming play. Many ladies fainted, and there were exciting scenes at the public meetings.

All the clocks in tha city stopped? at five minutes past eight. Tronbridge lighthouse was badly damaged. The oil overflowed and set fire to the lantern, which was destroyed. The night was intensely dark, and it was impossible to ascertain the extent of the damage, but it is? bebelieved that not many building® were seriously injured. The direction of the shocks was from south to north. They were particularly severe in the north.

The craters of La jSoufriere, in St. Vincent, are again active. An earthquake shook bean experienced,at San Francisco.