FOREST SWALLOWED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21328, 1 November 1932, Page 15

FOREST SWALLOWED

THE WAIROA EARTHQUAKE MUD REPLACES THE BUSH UPHEAVAL'S UNCANNY ACTION The uncanny action of tho earth's surface during the earthquako which shook Hawke's Bay ou September IG, causing 35 acres of high standing virgin bush to disappear totally beneath a sea of broken and churned up mud, was referred to by Mr. H. Tait, secretary of the Red Cross Society, at Napier, in an interview. The land upon which this phenomenon is stated to have happened is situated on the station owned by Mr. Thomas Byrne, Opouiti, on tho road from Wairoa to Tiniroto, where the shock of the upheaval was of sufficient force to cause the timber homestead in places to collapse almost completely. The homestead, stated Mr. Tait, was situated on the side of a slope, beyond which lay the valley in which tho bush stood before the upheaval. Tho action of the earthquake, however, not only caused the sides of the valley to converge, but also the centre of tho valley to erupt, completely obliterating any sign of the forest. There was not a twig to be seen, stated Mr. Tait, merely a sea of broken and churned up mud. The area of bush thus destroyed was between 30 and 35 acres. Continuing, Mr. Tait stated that this was not tho only placa whore action of this type took place, for about five miles distant thero was another instance of the surface of tho earth having been severely churned, completely burying the surface which existed before In other places the wholo sides of hills were flattened out over gullies, tho extent of tho movement being indicated by the fact that lines of fonces which formerly ran down the sides of the gullies were left hanging many feet in tho air, presenting a strange spectacle.