Earthquake

Hutt News, Volume 16, Issue 10, 5 August 1942, Page 5

Earthquake

Preceded by a minor disturbance at 4.47 on Saturday afternoon, the Hutt Valley and Wellington City experienced another severe earthquake at. 12.34 on Sunday morning. Records show that the main centres were located in the Manawatu and Wairarapa districts. The Observatory records show that compared with the earthquake of June 24 the shake on Sunday morning did noi last so long and was of slightly less intensity. It. lasted for 50 seconds compared with about 75 seconds of the previous shake and its strength on the Rossi-Forel scale is estimated to have bee>n 7 or 7 plus, compared with 8. The more delicate seismological recording instruments at the Dominion Observatory were V put out of action, as was to be expected. but very good recordings were made by those designed to record heavy shocks. The presumption is that the origin was in the same locality as the 'quake of June 24, but to determine the exact locality of the epicentre necessitates the analysis of reports and records in addition to those of the Dominion Observatory. The same applies to the less severe, but quite pronounced, short and noisy shake at 4.4 7 p.m on Saturday. The Hutt City was most fortunate in escaping with minor damage) mostly confined to chimneys and lot*;, of stock in some of those shops carrying breakable wares on shelves. As in the - shake of June 24. there is reason for great thankfulness that the disturbance occurred at an hour when few people were in the streets. The fact that Petone, although only a mile or so aw r ay, suffered to a much greater extend than Lower Hutt t| is one of the earth's mysteries which puzzle the average layman. The Lower Hutt. Post Office tower --which was mentioned in the*\: columns last week —showed further signs of danger after Sunday's shake and on Monday morning a team of men under the direct,, the Public Works Department, commenced erecting a scaffolding in pre paralion for the demolition of the well known landmark