TIDAL WAVE SWEEPS EAST COAST

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22289, 26 March 1947, Page 6

TIDAL WAVE SWEEPS EAST COAST

SURGE OVER 30 FEE! IN HEIGHT WALL OF WATER COMES AFTER EARTHQUAKE FORESHORE BRIDGES AND BUILDINGS ENGULFED Following a fairly severe earthquake shortly after 8.30 a.m. to-day, a tidal wave which appeared to originate some miles southeast of Gisborne swept the lower portion of the East Coast and wrecked bridges and buildings on lower levels of the coastal strip. The main force of the surge appears to have hit the coastline betweeen Tata- - pouri and Whangara, and residents of that area had terrifying experiences as two great crests of the wave swept up the beaches, over the lower sand-hills and flooded the estuaries of ail the streams.

. At Tatapour! Hotel two waves drove through the ground floor of the main building and reached the level of window-sills, inflicting structural damage to the hotel itself and sweeping outbuildings to sea in the backwash.

At Turihaua point, just north of latapouri, the occupants of a beach-side cottage had a miraculous escape from death, their house being completely demolished. The destruction of the Pouawa bridge, an old timber-truss structure a few miles north of iTatapouri, completely suspended traffic on the main East Coast highway.

Effects of the tidal wave extended as far north as Anaura Bay, but beyond Tolaga Bay it caused no damage. Two old timber bridges on the former coach road, now used mainly as an access road to Waihau station, were destroyed at a level 10 to 12ft. above the highest previous point reached by the sea.

In Gisborne, the effects of the disturbance were seen in bores several feet high which entered the Turanganui River and the harbour basin, causing much anxiety to those in charge of shippng but doing no serious damage.

Looking back along the coastline to Turihaua, Mr. Newman saw the water sweep across the road at the Turihaua homestead and up almost to the level of the house, tearing down fences and overwhelming gardens. As the surge receded, quantities of timber and debris were carried back across the highway, while fences straggled in broken lines suspended from secure posts above the level of the surge. Knowing that the Hall home at Turihaua point must be well below the level of the surge, Mr. Newman felt great anxiety for the occupants of the house, and this anxiety increased as a second huge wave, which he estimated to be 30 to 35ft. in height above the normal tide level, surged across the bay with its crest heading for the point. The first wave had appeared to come up in a huge swell, the crest of which bi'oke upon the land. The second wave formed itself well out in the bay and broken water shpwed the line of its approach to Turihaua point. This wave, too, swept high up the beaches and across the highway, which Mr. Newman considered was at least 20ft. under water at some points during the height of the surge. Having seen that the staff of the Tatapouri Hotel were alive to the situation, and able to look after themselves, Mr. Newman turned his jeep back towards the point, and drove' as speedily as possible to the site of the Hall’s home. En route his vehicle surmounted obstacles which would have stopped an ordinary car or truck, the highway being still almost 2ft. deep in water over short stretches and covered with debris of all descriptions. Reaching the point, he found Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Hall, their nephew, and two visitors recently arrived from Scotland, waiting at a point on the hillside above the site of the cottage for further developments. The cottage itself had been completely demolished by the surges, and nothing remained of the family's possessions. The Halls were particularly fortunate to have been abroad at the time of the surge, lor their visitors had arrived only a few minutes previous to the development of the tidal wave, and all members of the party were moving about. Their first indication of coming trouble was the roar of the approaching surges, and Mr. Hall’s experienced eye immediately recognised portents of serious danger.' He and his party hastily evacuated their home, and took refuge well above the level of the road. From there they saw the seas sweep in and roll back leaving the site of the former Hall cottage bare. Mr. and Mrs. Hall and other members of their party were brought to town by Mr. Newman, safe and sound but much shocked by their experience.

At Muriwai, the sea came up in a huge swell which swept inland to a considerable distance, and wrecked fences and imperilled stock and crops. The full extent of the damage in this locality was not ascertainable until late in the morning. The Wainui beach residential area suffered some damage, including the washing-out of foundations of one cottage and severe structural damage to the Wainui Surf Club’s premises.

It was reported that a caravan party in this locality had a narrow escape from trouble, their caravan being floated some distance before it grounded on the receding surge. Two great crests rolling in from the sea, provided an enthralling and terrifying sight for eye-witnesses who, from safe vantage-points, watched the inundation of the Tatapouri-Turihaua beach shortly after 9 a.m. to-day. Among those who witnessed the spectacle was Mr M. Newman, a farmer of the Waiomoko Valley who was en route to Gisborne and who recsued Mr and Mrs A. F. Hall with other members of .a household party from a perilous position at Turihaua point after the Hall house had been washed out to sea by the receding waves. Running down the coast road Mr Newman first noticed signs of the phenomenon when near the Turihaua homestead,' when a huge sea broke about a mile off-shore. He knew of no foul ground in that neighbourhood and was still wondering as to the cause of the break when he saw a huge swell rising off-shore at Tatapouri. Driving his jeep, he stopped 50 yards up the road above the hotel and saw the crest of the first big surge sweep in rolling over the sand-dunes in front of the hotel and swiftly enveloping the lower floor of the hotel building itself. Outhouses were lifted off their foundations and disintergrated in the swirl of the great wave, which sucked the ruins of the smaller buildings back over the beach and out to sea. Fences were swept down and all movable objects went out with the back-wash of the sea. . , , , . .The water swept into the hotel to a depth corresponding to the lower sills of the windows, and though the building itself stood the"shock well, it suffered damage to the verandahs and possibly to the foundations.