’QUAKE RECORDS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18817, 4 March 1931, Page 13

’QUAKE RECORDS.

SIX HUNDRED SHOCKS IN FEBRUARY. By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, March 3. Records made by the seismographs at the Dominion Observatory show that 588 earthquake shocks, originating in the Hawke’s Bay district, occurred from the time of the first big shock on February 3, until the end of the month. The tally of the disturbances from the date of the first big shocks to the end of the month is given by Mr R. C. Hayes, of the Observatory staff, who said the after shocks diminishea much more quickly than those recorded after the Murchison quake of 1929. During the 24 hours following the initial disturbance on February 3, tremors were very frequent. The big shock made the first mark on the records at lOhr 47min 21sec. a.m., one of the Observatory’s most sensitive machines, a Wood Anderson of the Californian type, trembling for six hours afterwards. The tremors came in quick succession and reached a total of 151 for the day. Most o± the after shocks, like those which occurred later in the month, were not sensible to the average resident.