MUCH HAVOC

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 August 1942, Page 3

MUCH HAVOC

IN WELLINGTON BUSINESS AREA LARGE BUILDINGS BADLY CRACKED MANNERS STREET CLOSED. LARGE NUMBERS OF CHIMNEYS WRECKED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Though it lasted only 50 seconds, the shock did damage in Wellington which, it is estimated, will run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. Chimneys fell, windows shattered in thousands. In several parts of Wellington city large blocks of masonry crashed into the street. Widespread cracks opened ominously in a number of buildings, and extensive demolition work seems inevitable. A large section of Manners Street has been closed to all traffic, vehicular and pedestrian, because of the immediate danger. No casualties have been reported, though there were several narrow escapes. The epicentre of the earthquake was about 50 miles from Wellington. The shock was slightly less intense, and of shorter duration, than that on June 24, but was only a degree or two less on the Rossi-Forel scale. The structural damage to buildings in Wellington was considerably greater than on the first occasion, because of the cumulative effects of the two visitations. The quake accentuated the effects on buildings left by the last one, brought about the collapse of weakened sections of brickwork, and opened so dangerously what were before minor cracks in walls and parapets, that a number of heavy and immediate demolitions have been made necessary. “The damage is definitely very bad in Wellington,” said the city engineer, Mr K. E. Luke, yesterday, after a preliminary survey of the situation. He added that the cost might conceivably run into hundreds of thousands of pounds after all the damaged buildings in the city had been restored to normal condition and adequate precautions taken to minimise future dangers. Chimneys left standing both in Wellington and other districts by the previous earthquake again received a battering, and many more were brought down, including several which had recently been repaired, adding to the problems of restoration, which have been serious on account of the shortage of labour. The Kelburn district, in Wellington, suffered particularly badly again, and there must be few chimneys still standing there which are not defective. After an inspection made by the Mayor, Mr Hislop, the city engineer, Mr Luke, and other officials, it was decided at 12.30 p.m. yesterday to close Manners Street, from Willis Street to Cuba Street, till demolition work on dangerous parapets has been carried out. Meanwhile traffic was diverted to other routes, and trams which ordinarily pass through this sector to the suburbs were sent via Jervois Quay. The first demolition work to be put in hand- today will be the removal of a high parapet from Charles Begg’s building. This parapet is very badly cracked and is considered likely to fall at any time into the middle of Manners Street. FINE WORK TRIBUTE BY MR. FRASER. MEN IN EMERGENCY SERVICES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “I want to express my appreciation of the wonderful work done by the city engineer and his department, by the E.P.S. wardens, by the accommodation and evacuation units, and by the police,” said the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, yesterday, in referring to the earthquake. He added that the Government would give them every support and assistance. Mr Fraser was in touch yesterday with the mayors and parliamentary representatives of Featherston, Martinborough, Greytown, Carterton, Masterton, Eketahuna, 'Levin and Palmerston North. “It would appear,” he said, “that Eketahuna was about the centre of the disturbance but that Wellington suffered probably the heaviest structural damage.” NO MAJOR DAMAGE REPORTED IN MANAWATU, BUT MANY CHIMNEYS CRASH. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) PALMERSTON NORTH, August 2. Palmerston North was rocked by earthquake at 4.48 p.m. on Saturday and 12.35 a.m. on Sunday, the severity of the latter causing chimneys to crash and shop window displays to collapse, but no major damage in the city. Saturday’s shake was noisy and consisted of a series of jerks lasting 10 seconds and subsiding into a swaying motion. No material damage was done, though lights and other hanging objects were left swaying for a considerable period. The second shake was worse, closely approaching the severity of the Masterton quake of June. It was preceded by a loud noise and the jerking motion was heavy from the start. Chimneys damaged by previous quakes crashed on to housetops and household crockery was thrown to the floors. While in the city no major damage is reported, window stands were wrecked, retailers handling glassware and glass-packed goods suffering most. The severity of the shake appeared to vary in different portions of the city. In some cases the brick walls of business premises showed what appeared to be fractures, and a survey will probably reveal damage much heavier than is at present apparent. RUMBLE IN CHRISTCHURCH NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, August 2. An earthquake lasting several seconds was felt in Christchurch shortly before one o’clock this morning. It was preceded by rumbling. There are no reports of damage.