SHARP EARTHQUAKE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 April 1940, Page 5

SHARP EARTHQUAKE

EXPERIENCED OVER WIDE AREA. MOST SEVERE IN HAWKE'S BAY. A slight but fairly sharp earthquake, with two distinct movements, was felt in lVlasterton last evening at about 6.43 o'clock. Reports from other parts of the North Island indicate that it was possibly centred in the Dannevirke district, and that it was recorded over the whole of the Manawatu. Wanganui and Hawke’s Bay areas. The shock was severe enough to break some shop windows in Dannevirke and cause fiimsily arranged displays of goods to collapse. Clocks were stopped in several households in Palmerston North and at least one shop window display was scattered. As far as can be ascertained no structural damage occurred. In Dannevirke a loud rumbling and short vibrations were followed by two or three very sharp jolts of greater intensity than any experienced for some time. The shock in Palmerston North was quite severe, and the rumbling which preceded :t was unusually loud. After the preliminary tremor there was a pronounced upward movement, which ouickly subsided, the shake ending with a swaying"’ movement. The upward jolt was also felt in Feilding. The shake in Woodville was described as sharp and sudden, with an upward jolt, and preceded by an unusually loud rumble. The shake lasted about 45 seconds. Pahiatua reports a sudden jolt, followed by a long rolling motion. Waipukurau. Waipawa and Porangahau report the shake as fairly severe, with a pronounced rolling motion which continued for nearly a minute, but no upward movement. An observer in Waipukurau described the shake as unusually noisy. A prolonged shake in Wanganui caused some people to run from shops and houses. The tremor was of a swaying motion. Three slight earthquake shocks were felt in Wanganui on Thursday morning. The first occurred at 7.45 a.m.. and the last shortly after 8 o'clock.