SHARP EARTHQUAKE

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 3, 5 January 1926, Page 8

SHARP EARTHQUAKE

TWO DISTINCT SHOCKS

SOME DAMAGE IN CITY.

Wellington was startled shortly after 3.30 p.m. yesterday by a sharp earthquake of moderate intensity. There were two distinct shocks, tho second more violent than the first, and the movement was felt distinctly by people in buildings in the city, especially in those on the reclaimed area on' the water front. In places whera the shake was- felt .-. most' severely there was somo alarm, as the second and larger shock occurred) but there was no panic. .■:■■;'■.}.: i % The record of the earthquake made by the instruments at the Kelburn Observatory was developed/this moming, but the Government Astronomer (Dr. C. E. Adams) was unable to make accurate deductions, as the record was not a very satisfactory one. Opinions as to the direction of tha earthquake movement difier according to the locality, but in most cases it seemi to have been felt .east and west. It is sometimes difficult to classify an earthquake because of the varyiDg degrees Of intensity in : which it is felt in different places, but Dr. Adams states that he would classify yesterday's disturbance on the EossiForel scale as of "moderate intensity" in some localities and "fairly strong*' in others. Though in its effect yesterday's 'quake was. perhaps more marked, the opinion is expressed by many people that it was not as- alarming as the one which occurred at about 7 o'clock one Sunday- evening a couple of years ago. ••■ "; "". ■ . '•■ : . The greatest damage reported locally is the destruction of several old house -chimneys. A sanitary pedestal in a house' at Constable street was badly erack^d, and at Kelburn a leak was .started in a pipe connected to a water tank. / Naturally people in tho , tall buildings on' the reclaimed land near , the water-front felt the vibrationi with an unpleasant swaying motion. This proved too much for several young ladies, who promptly fainted. ''

At Lower Hutt, the shake made/ the Post Office clock ring, and this cauegd the ; Fire. Brigade to turn out.