SEVERE ’QUAKE

Taranaki Daily News, 6 March 1934, Page 7

SEVERE ’QUAKE

TARANAKI DAMAGE SLIGHT I EPI-CENTRE AT WANGANUI SOME BUILDINGS SUFFER BALCONIES AND CHIMNEYS COMMUNICATION AFFECTED One of the heaviest earthquakes experienced in Taranaki in recent years shook the province at 11.48 p.m. yesterday, but though general alarm was caused no serious damage is so far reported. The disturbance seems to have been general throughout New Zealand, the epicentre being in the region of Wanganui, which has suffered fairly though no loss of life is reported.

At Wanganui hundreds of chimneys are down including, it is reported, the tall chimney stack at the woollen mills. The Rutland Hotel balcony collapsed, also the balcony of Ross and Glendinning’s premises. Power lines are down all over the district in the neighbourhood of Wanganui. A full day staff was immediately brought on at the Wanganui telephone exchange to deal with the traffic but communication with outside districts has been difficult. . a The train control station at Stratford was in communication with all stations along the north line, and reports that all trains, including the expresses, are Winning late as it has been thought advisable to test bridges before the trains pass over them. , Telephone communication was estaolished between the Daily News office at New Plymouth and all the important towns in both Islands, but although the severity of the quake was general, being in some cases heavier than at the time of the recent Napier shake, no serious damage is reported, except at Wanganui. Auckland, Wellington, Hastings, Napier, Gisborne, Taumarunui, Ohura, Palmerston North, Masterton, Christchurch, Dunedin and Blenheim all reported having experienced a severe quake, but with no damage of consequence, though of these places Palmerston North seems to have been most affected, possibly because of its proximity to Wanganui. _ Telegraph communication was affected, and for some time after the neither Wanganui nor Palmerston North could communicate with Wellington. New Plymouth, however, secured contact with Wellington, and acted as the go-between for Wanganui and Palmerston North. Auckland reported a very severe shake in the vicinity of Queen’s wharf, heavier than at the time of the Napier disturbance. EXPERIENCE IN TARANAKI. At New Plymouth the quake started gently, and gradually increased to an extensive motion lasting many seconds, but it was not accompanied by the heavy jolt which usually breaks chimneys and does other damage. Buildings swayed ominously and most people were disturbed from sleep. In many houses crockery rattled and moved, and in one house the water in the hot-water cistern spilled out of the tank through the top storey on to the ground floor. The shock was' the heaviest ever felt at' Hawera. ‘ No serious damage occurred and no injuries to persons were recorded. The water tower was observed to sway and spray from it flew as far as the police station, a distance of a hundred yards. After the shock the water in the tower was heard swirling round. At a dance in the winter show buildings a mild panic took place and several young women fainted. Two shop- w.n-. dows, those of Harrops and Lesters, fell out, and damage was done to stock in a number of shops. Electric light went out momentarily, but no interruption in the system occurred. A crack in the rear of the Central Sample Rooms widened to nearly half an inch. Chimneys appeared to have stood the test, and reports from the country indicated that 'll was well there. No damage was done at the Hawera hospital. At Stratford the post office clock stopped at 11.48, but no damage of consequence was reported. The alarm caused throughout the province was evident from the number of telephone rings received at the News Office in New Plymouth, two telephones being engaged for over an hour and a half answering calls from all parts of the province. One enterprising agent with an eye to business rang at 1 a.m. and ordered a supply of extra papers this morning.