In terms of loss of life (at least 256), it remains the worst civil disaster to have occurred in New Zealand. In the early 'thirties the whole country was in the grip of the Depression, with many people on the East Coast of the North Island affected by falling prices for agricultural exports. As all survey plans and land titles, held in the Lands and Survey Department, and owners' duplicates, held in bank vaults, had been destroyed in the earthquake / fire, a complete resurvey of Hawke's Bay was required (McGregor, 1998). Shelley and Ursula stand in front of land that used to be a lagoon until it was uplifted during the 1931 Napier earthquake. EARTHQUAKE-SHATTERED NAPIER TO BE REBUILT: PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN IN THE HAWKE’S BAY CAPITAL LAST WEEK. A special reporter sent by the New Zealand Herald on the day of the earthquake reached Napier at night to find "a city of the dead, except for the glow of a land fire, and the lights of ships" (NZH quoted in Wright, 2001:83). We have 8 articles, related to Deadly Hawke's Bay earthquake. © Napier City Council - www.napier.govt.nz / +64 6 835 7579 / info@napier.govt.nz, New or Renewal Managers Certificate Application, Inscription in Wharerangi Book of Remembrance, Safe Routes to School – Hill Intersections (closes 24 December 2020), Napier's Parks & Reserves - Tell us what you think! Buildings fell down and people were crushed. Small service lanes running "up the back of city blocks" (NCC 138) provided off-street loading zones and a location for "sewers and stormwater services" (ibid.). Land movement in many areas had rendered survey pegs meaningless, and consequently, new regulations under the Hawke's Bay Earthquake Act were gazetted on 23 June 1932. These cover not just the earthquake but the fires which came shortly afterwards, the aftershocks, the notable buildings destroyed, the lives lost, the rescue work and the rebuilding effortinvolved. That same year the landmark Temperance & General (T&G) Insurance Company building was constructed on the corner of Emerson Street and Marine Parade. Quite the same Wikipedia. Kitchens were set up at the Hastings Street, Marine Parade (for government officials only) and the Ahuriri Centres (Wright, 2001). - Before and After). We mourn the passing of Mr Robinson on Xmas day 2010. This was exacerbated by summer drought conditions (McGregor, 1998). In the years leading up to the outbreak of WWII, the Napier Thirty Thousand Club played a leading role in the development of Marine Parade, raising funds for the Sound Shell, the outer Colonnade, the skating rink and the Memorial Arches. The first new structure to be built in the CBD was the Market Reserve Building, completed in 1931. NAPIER EARTHQUAKE 1931. Some of the information available in this site is from the New Zealand Public domain and supplied by relevant As buildings began to disintegrate, many people fled outdoors into a lethal rain of chunks from ornate facades, parapets and cornices. At almost 10:47a.m. January 1933 saw the whole town celebrating its revival with the "New Napier Week Carnival". Many of the deaths were caused by fallen parapets and ornamental features as people rushed out through the doorways onto the street (McGregor, 1998). Erected "in record time", it was the first of the temporary buildings to appear in Napier after the earthquake (Campbell, 1975). the earth heaved upwards and swayed (McGregor, 1998). When is 3rd February 1931. Two naval cruisers arrived from Auckland on the 4th with medical personnel and supplies. The Mayor of Palmerston North advised the newly formed Napier Citizens' Control Committee that his borough would house 5,000 in a relief centre. On February 13th, 10 days later, there was a large 7.3 magnitude aftershock that contributed to the heavy damage in the region. 1905, All Blacks' non-try hands Wales historic win, Home 3 February The noise was compared to that of 'an express train' (Wright, 2001). While some Napier townsfolk were sheltering in tents on the Marine Parade beach and other open spaces (Wright, 2001), the tent town in Nelson Park served as the official evacuation centre for Napier (McGregor, 1998). The Borough Council set the ball rolling by dismantling the first row of its own buildings and shops in Memorial Square (Campbell, 1975). Just better. Just days before the opening of Tin Town, retired magistrate John S. Barton and retired engineer Lachlan B. Campbell, formerly of the Public Works Department, were appointed Commissioners of Napier with the task of restoring services (Wright, 2001). In the early 'thirties the whole country was in the grip of the Depression, with many people on the East Coast of the North Island affected by falling prices for agricultural exports. The morning of Tuesday, February 3rd 1931, dawned fine and bright at Napier. One of its most notable features was its overhanging veranda, the first of its kind in the town. In Napier, the 60-year-old wooden courthouse (now Department of Conservation) on Marine Parade was pressed into service as a temporary morgue (Wright, 2001). Almost 90 years on - the anniversary is February 3 - these survivors share their stories. The convoy was comprised of 4 officers and 27 men with 500 bell tents, 12,680 blankets, and equipment to set up a field kitchen able to cater for 1000 people in Nelson Park. 1. Power and telephone lines were also placed underground in a bid to improve the town's appearance (Campbell, 1975). The Army also arrived reaching Napier slightly before the Navy. 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Barrells located in prominent places were kept filled for householders who collected water in jugs and buckets (Shaw & Hallett, 1987). When the Commissioners began the restoration of the CBD, they consulted the Napier Reconstruction Committee, an organisation with representatives from local authorities, business and the professions, whose job was to investigate numerous reconstruction needs. ... “Only a little one” said Mr. Roach, who was now getting used to the quakes which always follow a big earthquake. Food depots were set up in Napier at Carlyle Street school; the Hastings Street school; Miss Beharrell's school on Bluff Hill; on Napier Terrace and at Ahuriri. Gwen worked as a cashier at Griffith's Shoe Shop in Hastings and was killed there by falling masonry in the earthquake on 03 February 1931. Applications for shops far exceeded the number available so occupants were selected by ballot (Campbell, 1975). The M s 7.8 Hawke's Bay earthquake of 1931 February 3 (New Zealand local time) was felt throughout most of New Zealand andcaused extensive damage at Napier, Hastings, and throughout Hawke's Bay. On the same day the army set up a tent camp for 2500 people. The 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake, also known as the Napier earthquake, occurred in New Zealand at 10:47 am on 3 February, killing 256 and devastating the Hawke's Bay region. The investiture to Commander Morgan was made by the Governor-General in the evening following the Auckland Regatta in January 1932. Nine students died in the wreckage of Napier Technical College and seven at the Marist Seminary in Greenmeadows. Veronica was later installed. On February 3rd, 1931, Ruth McNab and the children . When the earthquake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, struck at 10.47 a.m., many buildings in central Napier and Hastings collapsed. 5. The 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake, also known as the Napier earthquake, occurred in New Zealand at 10:47 am on Tuesday 3 February 1931, killing 256 and devastating the Hawke's Bay region.It remains New Zealand's deadliest natural disaster. Transcript. It lasted for 2 and a half minutes and measured 7.8 on the Richter scale. A tanker at sea felt a violent vibration, and the seamen on board looked to the shore to see Napier covered by a cloud of rising dust. Rescue parties, boosted by sailors and soldiers, worked desperately to reach those trapped in wrecked buildings. Magnitudes: M W 7.4 - 7.6, M S 7.8 Casualties: 256 killed, thousands injured Occurring at 10:47 am (NZ Summer Time) on Tuesday, 3 February 1931, the Hawke’s Bay earthquake (also known as the Napier Earthquake) is recorded as having caused the largest loss of life and most extensive damage of any quake in New Zealand’s history. The act provided loans for companies (excepting national companies or those with head offices outside Hawke's Bay) and individuals, to assist them to rebuild. 200. Top: A view showing the cleared site of the well-known Masonic Hotel. The cities that were worst effected included Napier and Hastings. All non-text content is subject to specific conditions. were feeling New Zealand’s worst earthquake at 7.8 on the Richter scale. The conditions were favourable for the spread of fire in that it was a hot, fine day following a dry spell of weather. Number of people that died in napier. In some buildings the internal floors pulled free of the swaying walls, collapsing inward in a jumble of girders, wood and plaster. information or material is copyright to the respective provider. People ran down An edited sample only. The HMS Veronicahad just tied up in Napier’s inner harbour when the earthquake hit. The occurrence of "New Zealand's most destructive single disaster" (Wright, 2001) was to change everything for the city of Napier, from its topography to its architecture and lifestyle (McGregor, 1998). Starting from the morning when the quake hit, the following entries provide facts, personal memories and photos. Energies roughly equal to the detonation of 100 million tonnes of TNT was channelled down a moving slab of landscape - a 'rupture zone' - that ran directly below Napier and southwest across the Heretaunga plains. With Napier’s hospitals badly damaged and unusable, medical authorities set up makeshift surgeries at the botanical gardens and Hastings and Napier Park racecourses. Events Buildings swayed violently, and their walls bulged and collapsed into the streets in avalanches of brick and masonry that crushed vehicles and people. - Before and After). In Napier and Hastings food depots operated dispensing free meals (McGregor, 1998). (closes 28 February 2021), Public Notice of Application Resource Consent, Rates Remission for flood affected ratepayers. Napier is a popular tourist city, with a unique concentration of 1930s Art Deco architecture, built after much of the city was razed in the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake. A Government loan of £10,000 provided for the building of 32 temporary business premises in Clive Square and 22 professional offices in Memorial Square (Shaw and Hallett, 1987). Together with Borough Council funds, the club contributed to the Sunbay, or seaward Colonnade, where the bell of the H.M.S. They were not hurt. 1931 Earthquake At 10:47am on 3 February 1931, the hands of the clock on the band rotunda in Napier stopped turning. It remains New Zealand's deadliest natural disaster.Centred 15 km north of Napier, it lasted for two and a half minutes and measured magnitude 7.8 M s (magnitude 7.9 M w).There were 525 aftershocks recorded in the … Archival audio: Gordon Amner recalls the 1931 Hawkes Bay earthquake. Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand This is an e… The Earthquake. graphics and images are protected by copyright, unless specifically notified to the contrary. Able-bodied men were required to stay to help with searches, demolition and clean-up work. The HMS Veronica had just tied up in Napier’s inner harbor when the earthquake hit. Fifteen died at an old men’s home near Taradale, where rescuers pulled a 91-year-old alive from the rubble three days later. Among the buildings destroyed were Napier’s Anglican cathedral, public library and nurses’ home, where clerical staff and off-duty nurses died. Advertisement Advertise with NZME. Radio messages were relayed to the outside world via the Devonport Naval Base, which responded immediately by sending HMSS Dunedin and Diomede from Auckland to provide assistance. 50 THE AUCKLAND WEEKLY NEWS. The official death toll was 256. Then, half a minute of calm and another violent shock with a downward movement, and more swaying and rocking (McGregor, 1998). In addition to these efforts, the officers and men of the NZ Naval Squadron also made a generous donation subscribing to a special relief fund in the amount of £530 (H.B. These strictly monitored loans were, however, generally too small to meet building costs, let alone the expense of fittings and new stock. The warships brought much needed doctors, nurses, and medical equipment, as well as 54 stretchers, 5 marquees, 34 tents, 400 naval blankets, 125 seamen's beds, 200 ground sheets, 80 shovels and 31 picks. NAPIER AFTER THE 1931 EARTHQUAKE. Consequently, Napier's business district, from Tennyson Street to Dickens Street, was abandoned to the flames which, after destroying any remaining wooden structures, left the town looking like a bomb site (Wright, 2001). Portions of the information and material on this site, including data, pages, documents, online By March 1932, nineteen new shops in Hastings Street and Tennyson Street were ready for occupation. In terms of loss of life (at least 256), it remains the worst civil disaster to have occurred in New Zealand. The earthquake ultimately had some positive outcomes: the 2.7-m uplift drained much of Ahuriri Lagoon, making land available for farms, industry, housing and Napier Airport; and much of central Napier was rebuilt in an art deco style which would begin to attract tourists half a century later. Captain Morgan at first thought there had been an explosion on the boat, but saw the wharf shaking and houses and other buildings crumbling down. A huge piece of land that . While every endeavour has been taken by the Napier City Council to ensure that the information on this website is April 8, 1931. The 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake, which had a magnitude of about 8, killed more than 250 people and destroyed much of central Napier and Hastings. In 1931 Napier and Hastings faced reconstruction after the massive earthquake. Most of the structural damage and human casualties occurred in Napier's (and Hastings) central business district. On the morning of 3 February 1931, the air 'had grown still and oppressive' and the sea was 'so calm and still' and a 'most peculiar colour', so much that everyone was talking about it (Wright, 2001). Alvin looks at old sea shells that were once underwater before being uplifted during the 1931 Napier earthquake. 200. Fire broke out in Napier’s business district shortly after the earthquake, and once the reservoir was emptied, firefighters were powerless. Externally sourced With the water supply already disrupted by the earthquake, the Fire Brigade was rendered virtually powerless, despite earnest attempts to bring water from the sea (McGregor, 1998). Although some businesses had already re-established themselves, there was a real concern that hasty reconstruction would result in shoddy buildings and that the urgent clearing of debris might be hindered. Initially, women and children were to be sent while the men were expected to stay and help out (Shaw and Hallett, 1987). Residential kerbside rubbish collections are changing. 4. These sites show how the landscape of the region has been forever altered. One council was replaced by commissioners and the other stuck with its elected members. Water was collected from Artesian wells in Mclean Park. 2. No work was too dangerous for the "bluejackets". Botanical Gardens and other Napier gardens, Marine Parade Outfall and Viewing Platform, Marewa Shopping Centre Safety Improvements, Tamatea/Parklands Controlled Water Area (CWA), Te Puawaitanga – Green Communities Together Fund, Support for homeowners affected by COVID-19, District Plan Review Discussion Documents. Some of the bios below were taken from this site The official death toll was 256 people who died in the magnitude 7.8 earthquake but there are 258 names on the memorial and this unofficial number is likely to be correct - 161 in Napier Centred 15 km north of Napier, it lasted for two and a half minutes and measured magnitude 7.8 Ms (magnitude 7.9 Mw). Napier Earthquake 1931 The Napier earthquake occurred at 10:47am on Tuesday, 3 February 1931. The Napier 'quake killed at least 256 people, and the city was largely destroyed first by the tremor and then by fire. Information contained has been assembled in good faith. Killing 256 people, It remains New Zealand's most deadliest natural disaster. The wind had also shifted from a westerly (off-shore) to an easterly which sent the flames roaring up Hastings Street towards the Hill (H.B. Captain Morgan at first thought there had been an explosion on board, but then saw th… Napier City Council cannot accept any liability for its accuracy or content. Ten days later, a huge 7.3 aftershock caused more damage. Flames gutted almost 11 blocks of central Napier, killing people who were still trapped. At 10.47am, 85 years ago today (3 February 1931) a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the bustling city of Napier, and surrounding areas, in Hawke's Bay. Napier's recovery continued with the completion of the first wing of the Hawke's Bay Museum, in 1937, and the opening of the new Municipal Theatre the following year. On 8 April The Hawke's Bay Earthquake Act was passed, providing statutory assistance to the region (Wright, 2001). New Zealand's most devastating earthquake killed more than 250 and destroyed Napier and Hastings in February 1931. Another witness, looking up Emerson Street the following morning, noted that all one could see "was a vast ruin, with people everywhere looking at the destruction. Effects On The People Effects On The response was called 'a genuine triumph of organisation'. Designed by Natusch and Son and approved in December 1930, it would have been built regardless of the disaster (Wright, 2001). With Barton acting as chief administrator and town planner and Campbell in charge of engineering works, Napier would be under their control until the election of a new Borough Council on 15 May, 1933 (Campbell, 1975; McGregor, 1998). Burials of the dead also began in both Napier and Hastings. New Zealand disasters timeline – New Zealand disasters timelineHawke's Bay earthquake images – New Zealand disasters timelineHawke's Bay's big shake - roadside stories – New Zealand disasters timelineNational Tobacco Company Building – 100 New Zealand Places, 'Deadly Hawke's Bay earthquake', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/hawkes-bay-earthquake-0, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 5-Oct-2020. It also has one of the most photographed tourist attractions in the country, a statue on Marine Parade called Pania of the Reef . This site is produced by the History Group of the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. A communal burial of the Napier victims took place on Thursday 5 February at Park Island Cemetery near Greenmeadows (McGregor, 1998) and, on the following Sunday, a Dominion wide "Day of Mourning" was declared (Wright, 2001). Roofs caved in on buildings that had large open internal areas, such as churches, libraries and theatres. See more ideas about Earthquake, Hawke's bay, Bay. It wasn't until that afternoon that the fires finally died out and the destruction could be assessed (McGregor, 1998). It was a typical summer morning in this town noted for its long hours of sunshine. The official death toll for the Hawke’s Bay earthquake is 256 (161 in Napier, 93 in Hastings, two in Wairoa). The 8.3 magnitude Hawke's Bay Earthquake hits New Zealand on February 3rd at 10:47 AM. Only then could the task of clearing Napier begin in earnest. It woke me up it was an alarm clock for Napier today." Erected by the Fletcher Construction Company, and popularly referred to as Tin Town, the extensive corrugated iron complex opened on 16 March 1931. In Hastings, 17 people died when Roach’s department store collapsed, and eight when the front of the Grand Hotel fell into the main street. Shortly after 10.45am on Tuesday the 3rd February 1931 an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale struck the Hawke's Bay area on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. However, there are 258 names on the earthquake memorial in Napier. Bridges and railway lines were broken and bent. Commander H. L. Morgan was informed on the King’s Birthday, June 3rd 1931, that he had been made a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, in recognition of his services at the Napier earthquake. The Memorial Square structure incorporated the undamaged Women's Rest Rooms and almost surrounded the Cenotaph while, on Clive Square, the bandstand was likewise swallowed up (McGregor, 1998). Consequently, many businessmen, already bound by heavy pre-quake mortgages found themselves unable to rebuild (McGregor, 1998). 3. 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake. Commercial re-use may be allowed on request. From these shops the fire spread into adjoining buildings, and by mid afternoon, the town was completely ablaze. On 17 February, a moratorium was placed on the rebuilding of any business premises until further notice, in order to allow time for the rational planning of a new CBD for Napier (McGregor, 1998). The shock brought down … The city was rebuilt in art deco style – now a major tourist drawcard. Apparently she, along with the rest of the staff and customers, successfully evacuated the shop during or immediately after the first major shock. "The replacement or re-establishment of public, private or government institutions or departments, businesses [and] industries street widening, town planning, building [locations and] architectural design" (Campbell, 1975:149). Meet the NZHistory.net.nz team, Ruins of the Napier nurses’ home following the earthquake (Alexander Turnbull Library, 1/2-002952-F), New Zealand disasters timeline – New Zealand disasters timeline, Hawke's Bay earthquake images – New Zealand disasters timeline, Hawke's Bay's big shake - roadside stories – New Zealand disasters timeline, National Tobacco Company Building – 100 New Zealand Places, Hawke's Bay earthquake (Hastings District Libraries), New Zealand disasters: Napier earthquake (Chch City Libraries), Hawke's Bay earthquake (1966 encyclopaedia), Napier severely damaged by 1931 earthquake. Fires were everywhere" (NZH 6/2/1931 quoted in Wright, 2001:77). Of those who were allotted places, some were less than happy with their positioning. HAWKE'S BAY EARTHQUAKE TUESDAY 03 FEBRUARY 1931 NAPIER, HAWKE'S BAY, NEW ZEALAND. Surface deformation accompanying the earthquake resulted in a >90 km long, 17 km wide asymmetric dome trending northeast and extending from southwest of Hastings to northeast of the Mohaka River … Some of the greatest tragedies occurred as a result of collapsed masonry buildings - brick being the deadliest of materials in an earthquake - resulting in many deaths inside the Nurses' Home on the Hill, the 'old people's home', and the Technical College near Clive Square where 9 pupils were killed (H.B. Aftershocks made such efforts dangerous, and some rescuers were killed or injured as more buildings collapsed. Within the Napier Borough it was noted that there was "no difficulty in the business area [and that] all new buildings [had] been erected on the proper places" (ibid.,17). Having been impressed by a coloured fountain in Bournemouth, menswear retailer Tom Parker donated a similar one which was completed in December 1936. 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