’QUAKE IN N.S.W.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 21 December 1925, Page 9

’QUAKE IN N.S.W.

THREE SHOCKS IN SYDNEY. PEOPLE GREATLY ALARMED. By Cable—Press Association —Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. SYDNEY, December 19. Severe earthquake tremors were experienced in Sydney and inland. The alarm was general, and in Newcastle the audience in a theatre was barely saved from panic. Shocks were felt as far as Duhbo. in some districts, the phenomenon was accompanied by a rumbling noise. People rushed into the streets, tearing ,the collapse of their homes. The origin of the disturbance was about 80 miles from Sydney, and it was the, most severe local shock experienced. There were three distinct shocks in the City, followed by a number ot minor tremors, but many suburbs experienced nme or ten shocks. Professor Cotton, of the Sydney University, states that the most probable cause of the disturbance was a fracture of the earth’s surface at Kurrajoiig. or along the coast. Although there was no extensive damage, 'crockery and windows m thousands of homes were smashed.

POPULACE UNDULY ALARMED. “ MERELY A TREMOR.’' By Cable —Press Association —Copyright. Australian and N.Z, Cable Association. (Received December 20, 5.5 p.in.) SYDNEY, December 20. Referring to the earthquake, Di. Pigot, of Riverview Observatory, says that compared • with ’quakes in other countries, the . movement wag very ■ small. It was very short, only the fraction of a second, compared with eight, or nine seconds often recorded in Nev. Zealand, i i The State : Meteorologists’ barograph .registered a movement measuring '34ooth of an inch. The people in New South Wales are not used to . such occurrences and were . badly scared. Many " Weird and highly-coloured descriptions of the ’quake were published. A prominent city medical man says he heard the preceding nimble, which he likened th an opossum jumping on a tin roof., .The newspapers featured the shake with double column headings. Many people were afraid to go to bed. The observatories were besieged by telephone callers, inquiring the cause and the possibilities of furthw. shocks. C Some seismographs did not even record the tremori «