NO WARNING OF CRASH

Taranaki Daily News, 6 February 1931, Page 5

NO WARNING OF CRASH

EARTH’S TERRIFIC HEAVING POSSIBLE. ORIGIN UNDER SEA. THE POPULACE TERROR-STRICKEN Residents generally agree that the first disastrous ’quake came absolutely without warning and lasted a comparatively short time; It Seemed to have its origin in the sea not far distant from the coast, but this is only conjecture. The whole earth seemed to give a number of terrific heaves, which, as the results Shop’, miifet have been anything from four to seven feet at i. time. People standing on opeii roads or footpaths were iii many cases thrown flat on their faces. They picked, themselves up, only to be thrown violently down again in another direction. Tills is how many serious injuries were sustained, and serves to illustrate the violence of the movement. The main ’quake seems to have run out between Waipawa and Whlptikurau, as the fdrriler has been seriously damaged, while the > latter, though only six miles distant, is much less affected. A second big ’quake, almost its vio i lent its the first, but not nearly so extensive, Was experienced on Tuesday night between 8 and 9 o’clock. It was thia ’qudke, fearful enough, indeed, that a News’ representative felt when waiting kt a wrecked bridge between Napier, and Hastings during a tranphipmeht from one motor bus to another.

The roar of crashing bhildings in both Napibr and Hastings could bh plainly heard, and the whole roadway seemed to leap several feet; first one wajr, and theh the other. The awfulness of the first ’qilake could only be realised by those who experienced it.

Reference has been made to two ’quake*, bigger than the others. But these are only two of thousands of smaller/ opes. The whole ground, even up to the present time, is contipual!y a-ireftible, and every three or four niintjtes conies a sharp shock which plunges fettr into the hearts of the already terror-stricken people. No one, “however strong-minded, can starid up for long to that insistent trembling punctuated by intermittent sharp And terrifying movements. The grdat majority of families are niore or less terrified arid distracted, though in face of the constant call to duty many are brave enough not to show their feelings too much, and the evacuation of Napier for this reason, apart froip sanitary arid other considerations, is the best thing possible at the present time.