EXPERIENCES AT NAPIER

Taranaki Daily News, 6 February 1931, Page 4

EXPERIENCES AT NAPIER

HAWERA WOMAN RETURNS

’QUAKE IN RESIDENTIAL AREA.

EFFECT OF TIDAL WAVE RUMOUR.

"When the earthquake came I was thrown to the floor,” states Mrs. A. C. Robinson, Hawera, whose holiday visit to Napier was abruptly terminated by the disaster. “Bricks came through the roof as the chimneys collapsed and one door was blocked by the g&s stove, which was thrown right across the kitchen. A heavy wardrobe was tossed into the air. After that we crawled out of the house, which was still shaking violently. , “People poured out of the houses ana clung to each other in groups. One woman Was smothered in blood which was coming from a cut in her head, but she seemed unconscious of the fact. “We all made for the Marine Parade, which seemed the safest place. Tents were being put up in every direction when a man came running along the beach shouting that a tidal wave was coming. There was a stampede for the hills and I think there must have, been many injured then. ‘We spent all night watching the flames which seemed to be spreading in all directions. Then a strong wind Sprang up some time early in the morning. This kept the fire from spreading to° some of the residential areas. Many fires were averted by women pouring water on the fires in the ranges. “There were many shakes through Tuesday night and there were screams from the women each time.

“The smoke was still very thick over the port when I left on Wednesday morning. At 8 a.m. there were fresh fires all along the Parade. Buildings were still falling. The only brick or stone one I saw standing was the Pub-

lie Trust Office, but there might have been others. Not even walls were standing—just heaps of rubbish. The road back from Napier was very dangerous. In many places the road had fallen away and there were great cracks. I Saw no fires in Hastings. “The bridges were all very shaky. The roads were lined with cars filled With refugees who had not waited for the general evacuation. LIKE SALVO OF GUNS. A Hawera resident who Was in Hastings remarked that the >shock acted like a salvo of shells striking every building simultaneously. The air was filled with dust from the falling buildings. It was practically impossible to keep on one’s feet, while it was necessary to look up to avoid the bricks that were raining down. Everybody took things very well. This eye-witness saw remarkable instances of the force of the shock. In one case a mantelpiece had been torn bff and in another a gas-stove had been jerked feet above the floor level, where it was .supported on the pipe. He waa much impressed with the way residents’ rallied round the borough and other authorities who got to work immediately. Two other Hawera men were on the top floor of the Napier Post Office at the time of the shock. The building rocked violently but they were able to get out. The building was intact when they left it but this was one of many miraculous escapes.