SEVERE SHAKE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 December 1938, Page 6

SEVERE SHAKE

WELLINGTON & HAWKE’S BAY DISTRICTS

VIOLENT MOVEMENT REPORTED IN DANNEVIRKE.

CHIMNEYS DOWN' AND OTHER ’MINOR DAMAGE.

A sharp earthquake felt over a wide area from Manaia and Porangahau in the north to Nelson in the south, and reaching intensity seven on the RossiForel scale in Dannevirke, three in Napier and five in Wellington, occurred at about 2.20 o’clock yesterday afternoon. From general reports received by the Dominion Seismological Observatory, Wellington, the centre of the earthquake is placed about 95 miles from Wellington, where it appears to have originated in Southern Hawke’s Bay a little east of the Ruahine Range. In Waipukurau. it was of almost equal severity, though considerably longer in duration, than that experienced on December 15, and caused a general exodus from business premises into the main street in Waipukurau yesterday afternoon. The unusual duration of the shock caused a certain amount of alarm, but no damage was reported.

In Dannevirke and district the shake was alarming. It lasted about 40 seconds and was violent from the start. People rushed into the streets and there was some structural damage, the worst an extensive crack at one corner of the frontage of the Dannevirke Power Board building. Chimneys are down in outlying districts and there are fairly heavy losses in some households. Water tanks were also damaged.

Tn Porangahau the quake was quite a severe one, lasting well over a minute, and was marked by a good deal of jolting. Many cases of fallen chimneys and burst water-tanks are reported, as well as losses of crockery and other household articles.

At many homesteads chimneys just rebuilt after being wrecked or damaged in the shake of .a few weeks ago, again collapsed.

Mr H. S. Hooper, Arlington Station, who was a heavy loser in the last shake, described yesterday’s shake as a severe and prolonged one. Several of his water-tanks burst, chimneys were fractured, and a good deal of crockery and other articles tumbled from the shelves. In most of the rooms of his homestead the wallpaper was badly split. The shake was not alarmingly violent in either Napier or Hastings. In Pahiatua there was a sharp jolt which dislodged merchandise from the shop shelves, wrecked window displays, and toppled over a number of chimneys. Shoppers made a hurried exit on to the streets. The excitement, however, was soon over.

The earthquake, lasting about half a minute, was felt throughout the Manawatu district' at about 2.20 p.m. Its force on the Rossi-Forel scale was recorded at some' points as seven. No damage has been reported, but numerous shoppers in Palmerston North were badly frightened and lost no time in rushing for the open streets. Foi two-thirds of the duration of the shake the motion was sharp and uneven, but the waves then settled down evenly, gradually becoming weaker. The ’quake was particularly severe in Wanganui and lasted upward of 30 seconds, causing buildings to rock alarmingly. The direction of the ’quake appeared to be from east to west. It was accompanied by an undulating motion and there was a preliminary rumbling. Many people jn shops were alarmed and rushed to the streets. No damage is reported. Wanganui Public Hospital patients, who showed signs oi alarm, were speedily reassured by nurses.

Marton reports that the ’quake was proceded by a sharp jol.t followed by a rolling motion for 90 seconds, sufficiently severe to bring articles from shelves in shops. No damage was done. Taihape reports a severe’jerking motion. Buildings rocked but no damage was done.