BIG LANDSLIDE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9796, 20 October 1917, Page 2

BIG LANDSLIDE

STARTLING AFFAIR AT MOUNT SOMERS.

little has been heard locally re ® ins a landslide of severe proportions. v v nlaco at Mount Somers diirThursday, October 4th tho Christchurch feun. By it SS of the Mouut Somers Estate known as "Petrified Gully, been, almost completely filled up, and in cidentallv manv aorea of forest now nc under about 40ft of stones and other debris. Shepherds from the dst ' ,ct state that during tho past few months a largo crack in the hill side, With an overincreasing width, was very noticeable. On the night of the slide the residents heard two exceptionally loud reports, followed by what was thought to be earth tremor. In the morning it was found that the hillside had slipped away into the valley, leaving a face ot considerable height and fully 10 chains long. Fortunately, no lives were endangered bv the fall. It is estimated that about 100 acres of soil gave way. "Petrified Gully" was famous for the petrified wood found there. and_ was formed by the chemical action of a limestone creek running through it. _ -! ho gull- was densely covered by a birch forest. Since the slide about *0 acres of the bush has been demolished, and all that remains in its place is a great heap of ashen grey clay, about two miles in length. The debris falling from the main body of soil has also devastated other nortions of tho bush. The creek, dammed in its course by the obstruction of tho wall, now forms a miniature lake of some 10 or 13 acres. Some of the trees left are more than half immersed in the water. Prospectors who haw reached tho ton of tho slide hove secured some fragments of rock and other interesting geological matter. It is considered that in time the creek will wear its wa- through the barrier and resume its normal course.