THE EARTHQUAKE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 246, 16 September 1932, Page 8

THE EARTHQUAKE

DAMAGE TO GISBORNE POST

OFFICE,

BRAVERY OF STAFF

Per Press Association

GISBORNE, Sept. 16

Structural damage at the Cook Hospital, caused by the earthquake, is not extensive being confined to tho women’s ward where some bricks were displaced. Tho patients in this ward woio accommodated on the verandahs. The other patients returned to their beds.

An unoccupied shop at Mangapapa was badly damaged. Two heavy iron weights on Roebuck Road bridge came off, one crashing through the footway. Telegraphic communication with tiro south is cut off.

Only two men were on duty at the telephone exchange when the earthquake occurred. The telegraph cable operator was taking a message when the line was lost. Ail stuck to their posts and, within a quarter of an flour, a dozen clerks had reported for duty, whilst to-day even those on holiday leave returned to their posts. The Post Office buildings received a severe shaking, cracks appearing in several places. The clock tower is badly damaged. No estimate of the damage at Collett’s Motors can yet he given. The roof rests heavily on a number of cars.

SEAT OF DISTURBANCE

NEAR WAIPIRO BAY

Per Press Association

WELLINGTON, Sept. 16. The recording instruments at tho Dominion Observatory began recording the earthquake at between 1.25 and 1.26 a.m. The shock was one of very large amplitude, so much that in the case of some instruments the vibrations were more than they could record. At 1.48 a.m. tho second strong shock came through, the two between them making a very confused record. The third fairly severe shock was recorded at 2.22 and the lesser ones came through at 2.58, 3.14, 6.13, and at 9.4 a.m.

The seismographs were in vigorous motion for two hours after the initial shock.

A tentative estimation of the centre of the disturbance from a preliminary study of the records would it at about 30 miles to the east of Waipiro Bay. The disturbance was probably a deep seated one.

OPOTIKI’S EXPERIENCE.

Per Press Association. OPOTIKI, Sept. 16. Two severe earthquakes and also smaller ones occurred here. Many chimneys are down. The electricity failed at about 1.30 a.m.