SHARP EARTHQUAKE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 2982, 5 January 1926, Page 3

SHARP EARTHQUAKE.

Wellington Last Night

A very sharp eartliquane was experienced in Wellington to-day at 3.33 p.m. estimated to be one of the worst shakes experienced for 20 years. It lasted from ten to fifteen seconds. There were two distinct movements, a mild shake serving as an introduction to a violent tremor, with considerable oscillation. High buildings on Lambton Quay, Featherston street, Jervois Quay, and other areas on reclaimed land were visibly rocked by the quake. Workers on the top of the General Post and Telegraph office had an unpleasant experience as the large building showed considerable movement. The ground floor ceiling was cracked in the sorting offices and in other places plaster fell to the floor. In the Post Office and State Fire Office, buildings, the shake caused some alarm. The pillars on the ground floor of the State Fire building vibrated with the shock, and the hanging lamps swayed for some time.

The records of the Government seismologist, Dr. Adams, will not be available until to-morrow. Although the one-storey concrete building built on a rock foundation in which the plant is situated felt the shake, Dr. Adams said the quake extended five or six on Rossi-Forrel scale. In certain portions of the city, the shake would possibly go as high as No. 8 on the scale, according to which No. 10 was the destruction mark. Only slight damage has been reported; one or two chimneys falling and no one was injured. The shock, appeared to be north-easter-ly to south-westerly.

The shake was also felt locally, not to the same extent as was experienced in the capital city. Wanganui reports that a long but mild shock was experienced there about 3 p.m,. The tremors lasted fully a minute. Between 3.15 and 3.35 three distinct but slight shocks were experienced in Taumarunui. The shocks were only felt in residences, where steady creaking for two or three seconds on each occasion warned the inmates.

A sharp shock was felt at Greymouth at 3.35 p.m.

A prolonged earth tremor was experienced in Masterton at 3*35. The shake was not so severe as that on Christmas Eve, but was of an even character and of longer duration.

A very slight shock was felt by a few people in Christchurch. Most city people were unaware that there was an earthquake, but at Sumner the residents felt it more distinctly.