VIOLENT EARTHQUAKE.

Te Aroha News, Volume XII, Issue 1761, 21 August 1895, Page 2

VIOLENT EARTHQUAKE.

SEVERE SHOCKS AT TAUPO THE INHABITANTS CAMP OUT ENORMOUS LANDSLIPS Wellington, Monday. Considerable damage by a series of severe earthquakes at Taupo on Saturday evening and Sunday is reported. The first intimation was contained in the following telegram from Mr Park, Postmaster at Taupo, to the Secretary of the General Post Office at Wellington on Saturday evening ‘We are having a succession of tremendous earthquakes. The first one .occurred at 6.27 p.m., and smashed a lot.of crockery. They are by far the heaviest shocks I ever felt. A swinging lamp suspended seven feet from the ceiling swung until it almost touched the roof.’

Mr Park telegraphed again as follows :— ‘ 9.30 p.m. - Shocks still continue, but not so severe. Rotorua has not felt them at all. All the chimneys here are down except mine and two at the Lake Hotel. My battery jars are half-emptied and in a great mess. The wires are in contact, as I anticipated. All the residents -here are camping out. The local store is in a great mess between broken bottles, castor oil, blankets, paints, etc. Earthquakes lasted till mid day today. Only five chimneys are uninjured. At - the Terrace Hotel very little crockery or glassware is left. All the bottles in the Hotel were thrown down. The earthquakes were severe over an area commencing at Wairakei and extending to McCrae’s Hotel. The inhabitants camped out all night. Another telegram from the same gentleman, received last evening, says : “ We have not been able to see Tongario. It is cloud-capped. I rode to Nohokinau to-day, eight miles to the north-east, but all is quiet there. The shakes are not severe at Orvkeikorako. The kitchen dresser at the Terrace Hotel was thrown on the floor, and the kitchen range shifted out several feet.. The whole of the bottles in the bar were thrown on the floor and smashed, while cases were moved so as to block doors. This is also the case at all the hotels more or less, while the storekeepers’ goods are all thrown on the floor, mixing up csstor .oil, ladies’ finery, vinegar, curry, blankets, etc. The -road where cuttings exist is blocked by large slips which have occurred all round the lake. We can . 800 far -as the oye can reach. The Tokaanu mail eoiiict not go to-day owing to these slips. There is nothing special at Wairakei, all the families but nine are camped out in tents.”

The laßt telegram recoived from Mr Park at 9 p m., yesterday says : -6.7 p.m : “ There is another severe shake.’ At 1.56 this afternoon Mr Dansoy, postmaster at Rotorua telegraphed to head office as follows : From inquiries made I hoar that some shocks were felt here on Saturday evening by persons residing noar Utuhuia Creek on the other side Ohinemutu; also at Hdrohoro and Yfaiotapu. They were very strong at the latter places. None were felt in the new township. A driver on the road, this side of. Atiamuri noticed on Sunday nearly at foot of Ngautuku Hill, close to the coach road patch of ground, about 20 feet by 30 feet, which had freshly subsided. At 2.18, Mr Park, of Taupo, sent the following message : —‘ ‘ Tokaanu mailman just returned unable to get through eight miles from here. In the long gorge millions of tons have come down choking it up, so that it is doubtful if the road can ever be repaired there. There was an increased flow of water everywhere, but in this gorge springs started throwing up immense quantity of fine calcined pumico stuff. The wind is blowing the dust about so as to completely blind travellers. Then on the other side of the gorge is a long cutting leading to the Hinemai or Hatepe fjriver. This cutting has completely disappeared, with much of the hill. All has slid into the river, leaving a steep face. Then along the other parts great slips have occurred, leaving great boulders ready to drop. Ho says that there was a great explosion from Tongariro just before first shock. ’