MILD SENSATION IN LEVIN.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 June 1929, Page 5

MILD SENSATION IN LEVIN.

CROWD COLLECTS IN OXFORD STREET.

A swaying motion, gentle at first, but gradually increasing until it resembled that of a ship in choppy water, caused occupants of shops, ofiic.es and houses in Levin this morning to feci uneasy and then to move out into the open as the word “Earthquake” was passed around. It was a peculiar disturbance, smooth but ponderous in its action, and caused suspended electric globes to swing over a radius of probably twenty degrees from the horizontal. Trees waved their branches, telephone and newer poles and oven veranda posts swayed, fronts of wooden buildings creaked, and all manner of articles hanging in shop windows swung about as though set, in motion by invisible hands. The earth movement —• for it could not be called a shock — Avas first observed in Levin at 10.18, and it lasted for practically a minute. It was responsible for quite a crowd assembling in Oxford .Street, where they watched with some apprehension •the straining of parapets and veranda roofs.

Cream in a vat at the Levin butter factory, the level of which had been' four inches below the top, splashed over the sides of the vat Avhen the quake was at its height. Among the effects, of the movement was the overflowing'of water from the ■.gasometer at the Levin gasworks. In the upper part of a. two-storey building some damage was done to crockery, which the swaying toppled .off the shelves. No serious effects are reported from business premises. Botflies in chemists’ shops rocked ominously, but did not lost' their balance. In Messrs W. M. Clark’s premises some rolls of linoleqm standing on cud Avero thrown over. ELECTRIC POWER TRANSMISSION AFFECTED. The swinging together of electric fines caused stone interruption afl the Power Board’s sub-station in Levin. Puses were blown out, but there were no serious results. in the southern portion of the district, however, disorganisation of the current occurred, and stall' men had to be sent to remedy, the treble. By 11 o’clock the ■sendee was again in working order. OTAKI’S EXPERIENCE. OTAKI.,. This. Bay. An earthquake lasting some time occurred at twenty minutes past ten this morning. It had a. big swaying motion, and the electric machinery was put out of action. PALMERSTON’S EXPERIENCE. PALMERSTON N., This Day. An earthquake of unusual length and type occurred at Hi.2o o'clock. Buildings commenced to sway gently and the quake then developed intensity and gradually lessened until at the end of forty-five seconds the tremor finished, but trees and posts were all swaying and the ground also had a perceptible movciacnt. (Mocks wen- stopped, but no damage is reported. Workmen on the scaffolding of a building had a trying time. LIKE THE DECK OF A SHIP. MARTON, This Day. A sensation was experienced about 10.20 a.m. when an earthquake rocked the buildings for over a minute. A very faint rumble, was heard and the shaking was continuous. The ground seemed to roll like a deck of a ship in a slight swell. .Shopkeepers and occupants of .houses gathered on the streets where the swaying of telegraph poles and lamp standards was very perceptible." The movement appeared to be west to oast. The visitation w r as not similar to the previms shocks Which created considerable concqrii everywhere. No damage is reported.

PARALYSED WITH FEAR. WANGANUI, This Day. For a considerable time after the shake a large number of people felt sick and unsteady on their legs.. It is fortunate that the quake did not occur at night otherwise there would have been general panic. As it was, many women stood in the shops paralysed with fear and unable to move. The .aain damage seems to be restricted to a number of chimneys down in various parts of the town, cracks in brick and concrete buildings and a few plate glass windows broken also skylights. Du' Renown Fancy Goods Shop reports imueh damage through articles hurled from the shelves. Telephones were out of gear for some time. TELEPHONE SERVICE DISORGANISED. WANGANUI, This Day. A very severe earthquake was experienced here at 10.15 this morning the direction being north and south, ■The main shake lasted four minutes, but the tremor was' felt for fully fifteen minutes. Considerable damage was done to chimneys, but details are unavailable. The telephone service was disorganised. The shake caused a manic,' people rushing from shops and houses to the street. A number of women fainted. Buildings swayed violently for some minutes. It. was one of the worst shakes felt for many years. SEVERE IN TARANAKI. NEW PLYMOUTH, This Day. The most prolonged and severe earthquake for many years shook New Plymouth and fqr .about three minutes commencing approximately at 10.18 a.m. It began gently and increased to a force which made the earth heave and buildings sway alarmingly. A number of chimneys fell and other minor damage w 7 as done. Inodcwood reports a similar txperi-fiip-“at 10.17. Waitara was also severely shaken. (Continued on Page 8.)