EARTH TREMORS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 246, 16 September 1932, Page 6

EARTH TREMORS

EAST COAST SHAKEN

GISBORNE AND AVAIROA SUFFER. NO LOSS OF LIFE REPORTED. Per Press Association. AA'ELLINGTON, Sept. 16. An earthquake at 1.27 o’clock this morning caused extensive damage at Gisborne and AA’airoa. At Gishorno numerous chimneys and parapets are down, windows' have been broken and buildings cracked and damaged. At AA’airoa buildings were materially damaged. The ’quake was severe at Napier and Hastings. No loss of life is reported anywhere. GISBORNE’S SEA’BREST SHOOK. Tho Secretary of the General Post Office, Air G. T. AlcNamara, received tho following reports from various offices in the Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay districts early this morning : Gisborne.—“What generally is regarded as the most severe earthquake ever experienced in Gisborne occurred about 1.27 o’clock this morning. This was followed by several other severe shakes. Intermittent tremors have occurred up to tho time of writing this telegram. Numerous chimneys and parapets are down and windows have been broken in the town, and considerable damage has been clono to breakable stocks. A portion of the wall of the Anglican Church fell out. A superficial examination discloses that the Chief Post Office tower has sustained a serious crack. There is a bad crack in the parapet over tho Customshouse Street public entrance to the building. An examination by the Public AA'orks Department will take place almost immediately. Further reports will follow. Only moderate shocks are reported from other portions of this district, although it is understood that AA’airoa also was badly shaken. At Opotiki the shocks were severe and the epicentro was apparently close. At AA airoa a severe earthquake occurred at 1.27 a.m. Some of the town buildings wero materially damaged. There are no reports of injury or loss of life. We have lost communication on all north lines owing to a break in tho cable crossing the AA’airoa River, in the township.” Napier.-—“A severe earthquake, followed by minor tremors, occurred at 1.25 this morning. No local damage is reported. Apparently it was severe in tho AA’airoa and Gisborne districts. AA'e have only one outlet to AA’airoa and communication with Gisborne is totally interrupted.” Hastings.—“A prolonged severe earthquake occurred at 1.25 a.m. AYe have lost communication with Gisborne on all lines and are still unable to raise that office either on morse or the 'phone (1.55 a.m.).” “AA'oodville.—“A prolonged and fairly severe earthquake occurred at 1.27 a.m. No damage is reported.” Opotiki.—“A sharp earthquake shock was experienced at 1.26 %.m., lasting 30 seconds, and was' followed by minor tremors at 1.40 a.m. and 1.50 a.m., and a sharp shock at 2.23 a.m. A few chimneys are reported to be down and power lines interrupted. There is no further damage.”' NOT FELT AT ROTORUA.

Rotorua.—“Tho earthquake was- not felt here.”

GISBORNE'S EXPERIENCE.

SEVERAL BUILDINGS BADLY DAAIAGED. AA'ARDS AT HOSPITAL EA'ACUATED Per Press Association. GISBORNE, Sept. 16. Gisborne was shaken by a severe eartkquako at 1.27 this morning. It was followed by a succession of slight tremors, lasting till 5.30 a.in., with one outstanding jolt about 2.30 o’clock. The initial 'quake was more severe than that experienced at the time of the Napier earthquake. Shop fronts, as previously, suffered considerably and the pavements were strewn with glass, whilst window displays were thrown into confusion. Alany chimneys are down. Structural damage is confined to a few buildings, including the Holy Trinity Church, where a brick gable was thrown clean over the porchway on to a grass plot in front of the church.

The building of Collett’s Alotors suffered heavily. The whole of the west wall for a distance of 50 feet fell outward, and the barf; portion of the premises collapsed, the roof falling on to a number of cars.

The parapet and side wall of Vincent’s paint shop fell, crashing through to the floor of Robinson’s to bacconist shop. The wall of AA'ildish’s auction mart also fell outward. The front fell out of Bell’3 fruit shop. At Alangapapa heavy damage was sustained in the jewellery and glassware shops and the tradespeople generally were busy this morning straightening out the mess. Air John Ormond, a well-known citizen, was rushing out of Ormond’s Motors at the time of a second sharp shake when he fell and sustained a slight concussion. At the Hospital plaster fell in several wards and the patients were quickly evacuated, both the staff and the patients preserving admirable presence of mind. At St. Helen’s Home a chimney crashed through the roof, but nobody, was injured.

Alany business people came into town soon after the first shake to survey the damage and to look after their stock. The headlights of motor cars for the time being were the only available lights. The electric power service was subsequently restored. A fire at Te Ivaraka started prior to the earthquake and destroyed a large building, formerly a boarding house owned by Mrs Alalon, and an adjoining shop.

OLD AA'AIROA BRIDGE CARRIED AAA'AY.

THREE PEOPLE INJURED IN TOAA'N.

REPORTS FROAI OTHER DISTRICTS. Per Press Association. AVELLINGTON, Sept. 16. Additional reports received from the earthquake area by the Secreiarv to the General Post Office are as follow : AVairoa.—Practically all of the old traffic bridge has entirely disappeared. The new bridge moved* on its piles which are still standing at angles. The severity of the shake is reported to he greater than the 1931 visitation. There is no loss of life. Private damage is very extensive. Shakes of a minor nature are frequent. The Post Office building is sliglrtly damaged. It is reported that only three persons in the town were injured.” AYliakatane.—“A very heavy shake, from a north-east to a'south-west dil rection. of approximately 20 seconds’ duration occurred at 1.24 a.m. It was both of a rolling and a jolting nature. Further small tremors occurred at 1.40, 1.50, 2.22 and 3 28

a.m., with several very tremore in between the times stated Mdam ago is reported in tins district. Gisborne.-“Te Araroa reports that the shock was fairly severe and pm longed, being followed by a serios o minor’shocks. A similar report has been received from Hicks Baj. damane having been done. Cape Run almost as severe as the 1931 eartn “A prolonged rolling shakes followed. No damage is ieP °AVairoa 10.25 a.m.-“The roadl is clear from Napier except for one tad crack about five miles south of Dai roa. No serious damage has ‘* en to the lines. The Wairoa.town rtater supply is interrupted through the collapse of the bridge. There are set eral cracks in the Marine Paiade facing the river. The telephone sen ice inot damaged and communication between AA'airoa and Gisborne should e re-established early.”

NAPIER’S EXPERIENCE, NO DAMAGE DONE.

Per Press Association. NAPIER, Sept. 16. A prolonged earthquake with a rotary motion was felt at 1.30 this morning. The absence of any jolting motion apparently accounted for the absence of damage. The centre of the tremor appeared to be some distance

a "The first shock was followed by several minor ones. . „ , The surrounding districts suffered no damage.

SERIES OF LIGHT TREMORS, HASTINGS ESCAPES DAMAGE

Per Press Association. HASTINGS, Sept. 16. A prolonged and fairly severe earthquake, which began at 1-25 o clock this morning, shook Hastings and district and was followed by eleven lighter tremors between that hour and 6 a.mNo damage of any real moment lias been reported locally, although the tremor was strong enough to displace household goods and the stocks m shops. , , The tremor may be compared in severity with'the lesser earthquakes that have been experienced here since the two great earthquakes of last rear, and to many people it was probably upsetting from the nervous aspect. _ ~ , At the Municipal Hall, where some eight or nine hundred people were attending a dance, little notice of tne ’quake was taken. A few people left the building, but soon returned, and the others went on dancing as soon as the lights, which failed, were lestored. , The needle for Mr Henry de Denne s seismograph was thrown off the chart and no time record therefore is available. Personal observations, however, would seem to show that it lasted at its iullest intensity for a full minute and died away as gradually as it had come. It was more swinging than jolting in motion and, therefore, not especially alarming.

TREMOR FELT LOCALLY,

VERY SLIGHT SHAKE

Comparable with the tremor felt at this centre early in the evening of May 5 last, when an earthquake occurred at Napier and brought down a number of chimneys, a prolonged swaying movement was felt at Palmerston North just before 1.30 o'clock this morning. Due to the fact that it was by no means a severe shake, but that tho earth moved slowly from the effect of tho visitation on the East Coast, many people at Palmerston North had their slumbers undisturbed and were quite unaware of the occurrence, until they saw, in some cases, this morning that their clocks had stopped. Tho tremor was also felt at Feilding, the effect being the same as at Palmerston North. IN OTHER TOWNS.

Reports show that the earthquake was also felt at Dannevirke, AYaipukurau, AA’ellington and AVanganui.