EARTHQUAKE FELT IN MOST OF N.Z.

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28766, 11 December 1958, Page 16

EARTHQUAKE FELT IN MOST OF N.Z.

Severe Force At Centre; No Serious Damage An earthquake which shook most houses in New Zealand between Christchurch and Auckland about 7.10 o’clock last night was, at its origin, only a little less severe than the disastrous Napier earthquake in 1931. A Press Association message from Wellington says the earthquake was believed to be centred about 350 miles from Wellington, possibly in the Bay of Plenty area or off the vast coast of the North Island. From Wanganui, it was reported that a blanket of smoke thrown up -by Mount Ngauruhoe at the tune of the earthquake was drifting iSvw National Park. No serious damage was reported in the earthquake, which seemed to be of greater strength north of Wellington than in the South Island.

The superintendent of the Wellington Seismological Observatory, Mr R. C. Hayes, said he estimated the strength of the disturbance at Wellington as between 4 and 5 on the modified Mercalli scale. (Force 4 disturbs dishes, windows, doors and walls, Force 5 overturns unstable objects and is felt by “nearly everyone.”) Mr Hayes referred also to the absolute strength of the shock, as distinct from the “felt strength.” The record of the shock indicated that the force of the disturbance had been 7 on the Richter scale—so it was only a little less severe than the Napier earthquake, which was force 7| on the same scale. Maximum on this scale was about BJ. Structural damage occurred in the neighbourhood of any disturbance rated on the Richter scale at 5 or more, said Mr Hayes. The distance from the centre of a disturbance reduced the strength of the shock as felt by people.

It was possible that the disturbance had been felt most strongly in the remoter areas of the Bay of Plenty district with which communications were not as easy as elswhere, or the centre might have been under the sea, he said. A Napier broadcasting station is reported to have gone off the air, and railway traffic over several lines in the Wellington and Hawke’s Bay provinces was halted till checks had been made of the permanent way. People Rush Outdoors In Wellington, the p blic flocked out of houses and buildings. People on the ninth floor of the Dixon street flats said it was the worst shake they had felt for 10 years. The earthquake started at 7.6 p.m. and lasted about one minute. Telegraph poles and buildings were seen to sway. In Auckland, Mrs Joan Matheson, of 30 Clevedon road, Papakura, shepherded her/children into a doorway as thtf* shock began. A set of glass ornaments hanging by a window rattled loudly. A long rolling movement rocked Napier at 7.5 o’clock and cracked windows in one of the city’s largest commercial buildings. A survey of the city area showed no other damage. Display stock was intact. Gisborne was shaken by a sharp earthquake lasting more than half a minute, but no damage was reported. There was a trembling movement for about 10 seconds, renewed more violently with an east-west swaying motion which set glasses tinkling. Two Distinct Waves The Hasting district was shaken by an earthquake about 7 o’clock It was of two distinct waves of a swaying nature insufficient to cause damage. There was little alarm. The earthquake was one of the most severe felt in Wanganui for many years. Buildings swayed alarmingly, and many residents made a hurried evacuation of their homes. At Hawera, the earthquake was sufficiently severe to shake *one man out of his sleep. No damage was reported. After the earthquake, all trains in the Wellington area were stopped and drivers were warned to proceed with caution. Gangers were also sent out to inspect the track and bridges. The Auckland-Wellington express was held at Te Kuiti for more than an hour. A fairly heavy jolt was felt in the King Country, and an inspection of the line was made before the train wks allowed to proceed. It was an hour late arriving at Taumarunui.

Nelson experienced its most prolonged earthquake for some years at 7.9 o’clock. The shake, which lasted for about two minutes, had a slow swaying motion and caused hanging lamps to swing and parked cars to rock. It was not sharp enough to cause any damage. A tremor was felt in Timaru. It was strong enough to make hanging lights sway slightly.