The Hawke’s Bay earthquake swarm: reactions to severe earthquakes

[ad_1]

Homes and businesses are damaged and some people are fleeing after a swarm of earthquakes, some severe, hit Hawke’s Bay this morning and were felt across the North Island.

At least twelve earthquakes have been recorded, starting with a 5.9-magnitude earthquake at a depth of 22 kilometers that had its epicenter under Beranghao.

“We have just been shattered by the biggest earthquake I’ve ever felt,” a local resident in Bornagahao wrote on Facebook. “S***s are flying all over the place from cupboards and shelves, the second that just started in our house rocking uncontrollably.”

The man said he had “never felt such strong tremors” and said he was forced to leave his home.

Advertise with NZME.

“We are getting in our car, very dangerous in the house and the tremors are going on.”

An employee at the Duke Hotel in Pōrangahau was in the upstairs office when the entire building shook from side to side.

“The only thing I managed to save was the computer in front of me. Everything is damaged. Everything is on the floor.”

“We’re just on the phones right now trying to figure out if we should evacuate, the questions about the tsunami are definitely rising.”

Advertise with NZME.

Hawke’s Bay Civil Defense earlier advised anyone feeling the quake was “prolonged or strong” to move to higher ground, but a later statement from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed there was no tsunami risk.

There is no danger of a tsunami from the earthquake near Pōrangahau. We hope everyone feels fine.

Remember that Drop, Cover and Hold is the correct action to take in the event of an earthquake. For more information or to submit a report for iPad, visit https://t.co/S4g0uzEYHr https://t.co/RRCkD5KITP

– National Emergency Management Agency (NZcivildefence) April 25, 2023

An employee of the Iron Museum in Pōrangahau said that many of the bottles and objects on display fell to the floor.

“I’m inside the building, there were two earthquakes one after the other. It was unbelievable. I’m cleaning the hallways.”

Gretchen King, a woman from Biranghao, shared a photo of the damage to her home, writing, “My parrot has seen better days but the wine is OK!”.

Gretchen King felt the quake and said on Facebook, “My parrot has seen better days but the wine is OK!”

Broadcaster Ian Smith was broadcasting live when the earthquake struck. “Oh my God, I’ve never commented on an earthquake before,” the veteran broadcaster exclaimed as the quake rolled.

The first earthquake was widely felt outside of Hawke’s Bay by Manawatu residents, with Wellington residents describing the quake as “terrible and rolling” and Manawatu residents saying it was felt stronger than its given strength.

In Taranaki it was felt as a “gentle sway” – and at least two fictional Aucklanders described feeling a “severe” earthquake, via GeoNet’s self-reporting service.

This earthquake can pass now. Sucked on the 11th floor of my building #eqnz

— Dr. Samantha Keene (@Miss_Keene) April 25, 2023

Under the desks at our board meeting! Palmy felt two big tremors, 5.8 and 5.3 within 5 minutes. #eqnz

— Lorna (@moukenainzo) April 25, 2023

Many liquor stores and businesses throughout the central Napier region felt the earthquakes but reported no damage. A liquor store employee in Uhuriri said it was “just a lot of junk bottles”.

Angela McGregor of Bottle-O Mangatera, in Dannevirke, Hawke’s Bay, told TODAY that lights were flickering inside the store but nothing was broken or fell off the shelves. She said she went for a few minutes and stopped before starting again. ‘Please don’t be so big,’ I thought.

Advertise with NZME.

But the lucky ones at Pōrangahau were not so lucky. The Duke’s refrigerator is damaged and bottles are smashed to the floor. Robert Hockamaw told Hawke’s Bay Today that a customer came to the bar to buy cigarettes after the shock of seeing his television collapse and smash during the quake.

Damage to refrigerator and desk at The Duke, Porangahau. Photography / Robert Hockamaw

“I just thought ‘what happens next?'” said Hockamaw. “We just had a hurricane, a flood, and now an earthquake, and we don’t want a tsunami. We don’t want more disasters.”

[ad_2]