THE SOUTHERN SHAKE-UP.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9304, 18 November 1901, Page 3

THE SOUTHERN SHAKE-UP.

APPREHENSIONS ,AT -KAIAPOI. FISSUES IN THE EARTH. EFFECT ON ARTESIAN WELLS. FURTHER NEWS FROM CHEVIOT (Special to Herald.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. There are grave apprehensions at Kaiapoi through a fissure m the earth, caused by the earthquake. Some land has been flooded, springs opened, an artesian well pipe washed a foot out of the ground. The elevation of part of the land, it is claimed, has been raised to higher levels. The flow of an artesian well 100 ft m depth has been increased, while flows iiv others have been entirely suspended. The direction of the fissures is southwest and north-east. Some m two hours were observed to visibly close. Crowds visited these on Saturday and yesterday. Truth's special correspondent sent the following graphic account from Cheviot to-day: — "A tremendous shock occurred at 9 a.m., almost equal, some residents say, to the great shock of Saturday morning. The panic-stricken people are preparing to leave immediately. "Large numbers of the shocks were so severe as to throw, persons off their feet, but no further damage is reported. All that was possible seems to have been accomplished by the original upheaval. Everything that can be thrown over is already on the ground. Beyoud shaking people and further destroying nerves, no disaster is reported. News comes that the great bluff at the port has been further denuded of millions -of tons more earth and rock. There are some painful scenes being witnessed, hysterical wives refusing to leave their husbands, who must stay and straighten out. their tangled and damaged homes. People are leaving Dy every available conveyance. "Closed for repairs" is the state of settlement to-day. It will be weeks before some of the shops can resume business. Amongst the damaged premises not enumerated yesterday is the grocery store of T. H. Bean, the contents of which are inextricably mixed and greatly damaged. A blacksmith's shop and carriage works are also m a state of extraordinary confusion. 'The engine has been turned round, the forges destroyed, and thegear and machinery is a tangled mass of ironwork. Every few minutes smaller shocks and earth tremors are occurring, intermingled with mo>e severe convulsions. The position is becoming alarming,; ns there is no apparent diminution m the number or decrease m intensity of the spasmodic catastrophe. On the contrary, the shocks to-day are more intense and 'frequent than those of yesterday. It is impossible to leave anything m the shape of glassware or crockery- ware on the table or shelf, as it , would be thrown down m a few minutes. Fresh cracks and fissures are continually opening up m the ground. Accounts are coming <m of ruined .homes every hour. Some dwellings have actually been unroofed. Mr Butt's house was split m two. * r