EARTHQUAKE SHOCKS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23686, 19 December 1938, Page 10

EARTHQUAKE SHOCKS

EARLY MORNING VISITATION. LOCAL RESIDENTS ALARMED NO DAMAGE REPORTED While people who had resided further north were inclined to regard it afterwards as quite a minor affair, the earthquake which awakened and caused slight alarm among nervous people at 5.24 on Saturday morning was so unusual to those who had spent their lives in Dunedin that it was regarded as almost a sensation. The long duration of the shake was Us most unusual feature. Though esti. mates naturally vary, it is generally agreed that the tremor extended over at least a minute. It was sufficiently severe to stop many clocks and to cause slight movements of furniture; but. while people who were in the streets at the time said that buildings could be clearly seen to be swaying, no damage was reported in the city. Residents who have spent up to 70 years in Dunedin, however, state that the earthquake was the severest they have ever experienced. Though it later became clear that their alarm had not been justified, numbers of people hastily left their beds when the shake occurred, and some people actually rah into the streets.

The shock at 5.24 began with a distinct bump, which was followed by a steady swaying movement. Half an hour later another tremor was felt, and some people assert that there were minor earth' movements up to 7 o'clock. A further tremor at 11.20 was so slight as to be felt by only a few people, but another shortly after midnight on Saturday and one about half an hour later were sufficiently severe to awaken light sleepers. The shock was distinctly felt at Mosgiel on Saturday morning at 5.30. People were awakened from sleep by the swaying of houses and a rumbling noise.

Reports from Milton and Balclutha state that a prolonged earthquake shock was felt about 5.30 a.m., and residents not unnaturally felt alarmed. No damage, however was reported. CENTRAL OTAGO QUEENSTOWN HEAVILY JOLTED PLASTER FALLS IN TOWN HALL If there had been any person in the Queenstown Town Hall at about 5.25 on Saturday morning, when the earthquake was felt throughout the Otago province they would have been injured by the resultant fall of plaster. Queenstown experienced the severest shaking residents of long standing have ever known, and the plaster which fell from the walls and ceiling of the buildin?. where- films are screened, bears testimony to the jolting which was felt throughout the township. In McDowall's mercery shop the effects of the shaking caused a window to be dislodged from its frame, and in a number of shops stocks of various articles fell off the shelves. Two chimneys in the residential area were found to be badly cracked after the first big shake, and it is thought that they will need to be demolished. At 8 o'clock on Saturday night another shake of a milder nature was felt, and this was followed at 10 minutes past midnight by a similar tremor. A severe and piolonged shake accompanied by loud rumbling was felt at Clyde at 5.25 a.m. The shock was one of the longest ever felt in the district. SOUTHLAND SHAKEN ALARM IN INVERCARGILL (Special to Daily Times) INVERCARGILL, Dec. 17. Probably the most severe earthquake ever experienced in Invercargill roused citizens from their slumber at 5.23 a.m. to-day. but no serious damage was reported. The whole of Southland and Stewart Island swayed alarmingly, and residents hastily left their beds and prepared to get outside. The tremors continued during the morning, the last one being at 11.16 a.m. The shock was fairly strong. Electric light wires were set swinging, houses swayed, and clocks stopped. The shock, which lasted for a minute and a-half. was of a north-easterly to south-westerly direction. It was preceded by a rumbling noise, and then there was a series of jolts, followed by a swaying motion. The post office clock stopped at 5.23 a.m. Ihe clock was again stopped at 11.16. , No great damage, however, has been reported, though some chimneys were brought down in different localities. There were more early risers this morning than for years, and there were some humorous incidents both in the city and in the country districts when houses swayed. Some inmates had a feeling as of slight sea sickness, while others dashed outside in their night attire. In one country hotel a girl threw a rope used as a fire escape from the top window and started to descend, but was reassured by the proprietor. The glass shelves in a shop window were displaced and shattered, but that was the worst of the damage in the city. Southland has experienced notable immunity from earthquakes except of a mild type for over half a century. The most severe disturbance occurred about mid-day in the early eighties, when the province was visited by -• prolonged shake which manifested itself in an alarming manner. In the Southern Lakes district the surface of the land appeared to rise and fall like the waves of the sea. and in broken country fissures developed in several localities. Though there was nothing as serious as that this morning, there was general alarm among the residents of the city. Everyone with ? telephone seemed to ring the Post Office exchange at once, and the operators could not get the opportunity to reply, for the board was just one blaze of light. The most severe shake seems to have been experienced at Queenstown. II started at 5.23 with a jolting movement, which continued for two and a-quarter minutes. Some chimneys were put out of line, and have had to be demolished for safety. Some windows were broken, plaster fell from ceilings, and clocks stopped. The tremors, though diminished in intensity, continued for the greater part of the morning. At Bluff, the earthquake was the worst in the memory of the residents A rolling motion wa.s felt, windows rattled, lights swayed, and some people ran outside for safety, but there was no damage. There was a second fairly sharp shake 20 minutes after the first one, and lesser tremors occurred for some hours. At Halfmoon Bay the shock lasted over a minute. There were slight tremors for some hours later, and a sharp shake at 11.15. There was a strong, steady vibration.

THE GORE DISTRICT UNUSUALLY SEVERE SHOCK CROCKERY SHOPS SUFFER (Special to Daily Times) GORE, Dec. 17. An earthquake of unusual severity, sufficient to sway the buildings, was experienced in the Gore district at 5.20 this morning. The earthquake was of the intensity of six on the Rossi-Forel scale. The severity of the first shake in the morning was sufficient to rock many of the larger buildings in the town in a most uncanny manner, especially for those sleeping in- second or third storeys. The strain was considerable, and had the shake been the slightest bit more severe there is no doubt that many buildings would have suffered. Reports indicate that most damage was caused in crockery shops and in the departmental stores. The fittings in the sweets window of the store of J. R. McKenzie, Ltd., collapsed and deposited the goods in one corner of the window, which was a scene of wild disorder when the staff arrived for work. Twelve glass shelves were shattered, and about 15 vases were broken in the store. Lightly-placed goods in other shops also Came tumbling down, but the damage reported was slight. SOUTH CANTERBURY NO DAMAGE REPORTED 'Per United Pres> Association) TIMARU, Dec. 17. An earthquake shock was felt at Timaru this morning at 5.22, but no damage is reported. The earthquake was also felt at the Hermitage and in the Mackenzie Country. SHOCK AT ASHBURTON SHOP WINDOW BROKEN (Per United Press association) ASHBURTON, Dec. 17. An earthquake" shock, the first for very many years, was felt here at 5.24 this morning. A long quivering movement was preceded by a rumbling sound. A shop window was broken. "SWARM OF EARTHQUAKES" CHRISTCHURCH ESCAPES LIGHTLY 'Per United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 17. Christchurch escaped the real severity of the earth tremors that were general throughout the South Island in the early hours of the morning. The origin of the shakes is placed at approximately 283 miles from Christchurch. Officials of the Magnetic Observatory stated that their instruments recorded " a swarm of earthquakes." The first wave arrived from west-south-west at 22 minutes 29 seconds past 5 a.m. There were at least 14 shocks recorded up till the time the record was taken off at approximately 10 a.m. THE WEST COAST LONG SWAYING MOTION (Per United Press Association! HOKITIKA, Dec. 17. An earthquake lasting for several seconds, with a long, swaying motion, was felt here at 5.20 this morning. It was a fairly heavy shock, but no damage was done. CENTRE OF DISTURBANCE DOMINION OBSERVATORY'S REPORT (Peb United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Dec. 17. A severe earthquake in the southwestern portion of the- South Island was felt at 5.23 a.m. (reports the Dominion Observatory). The centre appeared to be 400 miles distant from Wellington. After-shocks were felt at 5.48, 7.9 and 7.51. Reports have been received by the Observatory from Gore (where the intensity was 6 on the Rossi-Forel scale). Oamaru, Invercargill, Naseby, Waikouaiti, Dunedin, Nightcaps. Tuatapere, Riverton. the Hermitage, Fairlie, Jackson's Bay, Balclutha, Ashburton, Ranfurly, Middlemarch. Mataura, and as far north as Nelson. It was only slight at Nelson, but probably heavier at Jackson's Bay and in Sou + h Westland than at Gore.