QUAKE DAMAGE

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 72, 17 December 1938, Page 12

QUAKE DAMAGE

Shock Most Violent In Porangahau Area

TANKS AND CHIMNEYS BROUGHT DOWN

Train Crew’s Ordeal On Viaduct

Dominion Special Service.

HASTINGS, December 16.

Last night’s earthquake was apparently more violent in the Porangahau district, on the coast about 30 miles south-east of Waipukurau, than anywhere else in the Hawke’s Bay area. At many homesteads, water tanks were toppled from their stands and chimneys collapsed; instances of breakages of household crockery and ornaments are numerous, and more than one radio-receiving set was capsized.

• An extraordinary feature of the earthquake in the Porangahau district was that it was not uniformly violent over the whole area. There were cases of considerable damage at some homesteads, and others close by almost escaped. Mr. C. J. O’Reilly, Mangaorapa, said tonight that his homestead was practically undamaged, but a homestead barely two miles avfay lost all its chimneys. Half a mile farther along the road another homestead escaped damage, but at a house about two miles and a half to the west all the water tanks burst and chimneys collapsed as well. Cliimneys Brought Down. At Arlington Station, which is only 10 miles from Waipukurau toward the coast, chimneys collapsed and water tanks were thrown from their stands. A good deal of damage is also reported from Hatuma. The damage in the business area of Waipukurau is fairly heavy. In a large grocery store it was very extensive and the premises could not be opened for business this morning. In other shops the floors were littered with stock and broken glass. One chemist is a heavy loser through breakages. Train Crew’s Experience. The crew of a goods 'train travelling north had an unenviable experience. When the shake came the train was passing over the Kopua viaduct, which swayed alarmingly, causing the driver to apply the brakes and bring the train to a standstill. The viaduct and the railway bridges at both Waipukurau and Waipawa were examined today, but they had not been damaged. Example of Calmness. A splendid example of calmness in the face of danger was displayed by the girls of lona College, Havelock North, at their annual breaking-up ceremony. When the shake came i the junior singing class was near the end of a bracket of four songs. They continued to sing without, faltering and their example did much to allay . the first signs of alarm among the audience. When the item ended the building was still swaying, but two girls appeared on the stage to play a pianoforte number. The calmness shown by the girls was later commended by the Rev. S. C. Francis, who moved a vote of thanks to them.

Similar calmness was shown by the pupils of the Hastings Convent School, who were giving their annual concert to a crowded a udience in the Municipal Theatre.

CHIMNEY FALLS INTO KITCHEN Dominion Special Service. PALMERSTON N., Dec. 16. ; Further inquiries into last night s earthquake damage, in and around Palmerston North reveal that in no case was damage any more than of a minor nature. A force of seven on the RossiForel scale was recorded on the seismograph at the sub-station of the Mana-watu-Oroua Electric Power Board, Bunny thorpe. • In a few homes in the district ornaments were shaken off mantelpieces and it is understood that the tops of several chimnevs came down. In Albert Street. Palmerston North, a chimney fell through the roof of a bouse into the kitchen. Ihe occupants were scared considerably, but apart from overehad damage little else was touched. , In city shops cases have been reported of goods on shelves and on display being disarranged. One shop reported that some glass articles were smashed when they were knocked off fixtures on to the floor. Plaster fell from the walls and ceilings of rooms iu several hotels.

CENTRE THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN ON EAST COAST

From reports received at the Dominion Observatory, AA eliington, yesterday, it appears that the earthquake shock felt in AVellington and the southern portion of the North Island on Thursday night had its centre somewhere iii the .vicinity of Porangahau, north of Cape Turnagain, <m the East Coast. It was stated, however, that tire true centre of the quake would not be determined till further reports were received from subsidiary stations. Reports indicate that the quake was at its worst in the Porangarau region, where the maximum intensity recorded was 8 on the Rossi-Forel scale. This is just approaching destructive intensity, for 8 is defined as a very strong shock capable of bringing down chimneys and cracking walls in buildiiigs. In the Porangahau area a number of chimneys were brought down. TOO MUCH PUBLICITY TO EARTHQUAKES A complaint that too much publicity was given by the Press to earthquakes occurring in New Zealand was made bv members of the AA’ellinston Fire Board at yesterday’s meeting of the board. The chairman. Air. S. S. Dean, said it was not fire board business, but he thought it was altogether wrong for the Press to give such publicity to earthquakes. Those who went overseas knew that the reports created a. bad effect. Even people in the Dominion were badly frightened when they read the reports. Mr. Marcus Alarks said an Australian woman had told him that she would not come to New Zealand even if her fare was paid and she was given £5O. Mr. G. C. Edwards: You don’t find Japan advertising her earthquakes.