Memories of Earthquake

INANGAHUA EARTHQUAKE 40 years AGO
On 5/27/08, Alvin Olson <alvinolson@gmail.com> wrote:

Yes, in a small sleepout with my brother Garry. I could hear the noise coming up the valley from Inangahua. There was a period of silence before which woke me ,then the chooks were sqwarking then I could could hear the hills falling in about two miles away across the river. The hut took off it rocked and rolled so violently that i could not get out of bed. The wardrobe that was between our beds fell against the door jamming it shut. I said to Garry "let get out of here " . We pulled the robe upright and stood at the door way. It was still dark but i had big pop eyes and could see the ground rolling like waves on water. I took off to get to the house which was about 30 meters away As i was running, a big radio aerial came down with a thump beside me . It missed me by only a few meters. I went inside the house which was in darkness.

Mum and dad where in the kitchen with all the little kids around them. It was cold and still dark I was in my undies and singlet, when i could see no body was injured, I went back to my hut , grabbed my clothes and blankets I took them back to the kids and got them warm in the lounge. After ten or so minutes Dad and I lit the lounge room fire, this gave us light and heat. We went outside to check the chimney was still upright. The Chimney top was still inplace where it should have been but broken at roof level. The force of the earthquake had twisted the top around round about 30 degrees.
I thought the world was going to end as the big waves and deafening noise seemed to carry on for ages I'm not religious but I did say a pray to my guardian to slow things down and give me a chance at life.
The big quake measured 7.1 on the reichter scale . Several small after shocks sent fear and trepidation through every one . When the building began to rock and creak we all looked at one another and sprung to our feet anticipating bolting for the open spaces. We talked about needing to get under tables or stand in the door way for added protection. I think we developed our special place to bolt for as the aftershocks seemed to happen every 20 minutes or so. When daylight arrived we venture out to have a look at the environment . We could hear the hills / slips about 2 miles away still falling and giving of a low rumble as the trees and stones made there way to the base of the hills. We lives across the road from the railway train storage sheds . The steam locomotive was generally at rest in the shed . This morning it was absent . On inspection it had surfed its way down the rail lines to be in the middle of the shunting yards , a distance of 200 yards

Dad worked at the Butter factory . He was keen to see what damage had been done to his workplace so i went with him for support . The big boiler house chimney was still standing although a large crack has materialised half way up Ted Grey , a work college of Lens lived in a small hut right next door from the factory . We bashed on his door thinking that he may be injured or hurt in some way . On the contrary, he was back in bed asleep . His large radio had fallen onto his legs while he slept but he said he just kicked it off and rolled over to return to sleep . He may have been bullshitting us about his nonchalance, as his window was broken from the strain of the bucking and kicking of the big shake.

Family , neighbours and friends soon made contact , they were all wide eyed and talked flat out about their experience of the quake . Early reports of damage to property and building started to get to us . The news on the radio gave us basic news and advise Im not sure how long after the big quake that we heard that the epicentre was down in inangahua junction but news came through of extensive damage to the roads and infrastructure . Slips and collapsed bridges were being reported and we also heard of several deaths . A Taxi driver had crashed into a bridge down near Greymouth and a women was crushed to death in a landslide at inangahua The mains power was off for several days. i remember we were ok for cooking because we had a coal range to heat the water and cook our meals It surprises me how much i can remember of this sentinel event in my life .

I did fear for my life when the Bunk house i was sleeping in was rocking so violently The rescue of the people out at Inangahua was undertaken by the NZ airforce . They used the Irioqoise Helicopters . Probably 5 in all I can still be taken back to the days after the quake when i hear the resounding thump thump thump of the big chopper blades as the come towards you

I did wonder what would happen next
Alvin

Inangahua Earthquake 1978

Earthquakes: Inangahua

FROM Canterbury Library Website

When: 24 May, 1968

Where: Inangahua Junction, West Coast

Summary

Inangahua was devastated by an earthquake in 1968 which left 70 percent of the dwellings in the town uninhabitable.

What happened

• Inangahua Junction is at the point where the Inangahua River meets the Buller River, 30 kilometres north of Reefton and 45 kilometres south-west of Westport.
• After the gold rush years of the mid 19th century, the population of Inangahua dropped until there were only about 300 inhabitants at the time of the 1968 earthquake.
• At 5:24 am on Friday 24 May, 1968, an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale struck the West Coast.
• Throughout the country people were still recovering from the shock of the Wahine sinking on 10 April earlier that year.
• The Inangahua earthquake caused damage up and down the West Coast, but Inangahua Junction suffered the most and was quickly declared a disaster area.
• If the earthquake had been centred in an area where there was a higher population, there would probably have been a greater loss of life. As it was, three people died.
• Two women were killed when a landslide struck a house, one dying of her injuries later in hospital.
• Around the Inangahua area landslides and other upheavals blocked the roads, buckled the railway lines, and cut off the town. Communication with the outside world was not possible until two and a half hours after the earthquake. In the meantime the local inhabitants had to be ready to spend the night in the stricken town in case help could not reach them.
• For a while the Buller River was dammed by a massive landslip about 6 kilometres upstream from Inangahua, and threatened to flood the town.
• Unlike the Murchison earthquake of almost 40 years before, helicopters could be used to take people out of the disaster area. By 9.30 pm on the day of the earthquake almost 200 people had been lifted out and then bussed to Reefton.

How many died: 3 (3 also killed in a rescue helicopter accident at the time).

Other events and outcomes

• The earthquake damage was made worse by more and more aftershocks. 15 earthquakes measuring more than 5 on the Richter scale were recorded over the next four weeks.
• Heavy rain fell the next day and made it more difficult to clear the roads blocked by landslides. Houses suffered more damage as the rain came in through the holes in the roofs.
• Roadblocks were set up outside Inangahua Junction to control who went into the disaster area. Police were on patrol to keep out sightseers and looters of the empty houses.
• Food and other supplies were sent from other parts of New Zealand, and the Inangahua Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund was set up to help the refugees.
• The railway line was reopened three weeks later and people returned to their homes in Inangahua within the month. The roads took longer to clear.

Richter scale

An earthquake is measured by its size, known as its magnitude. A Californian seismologist (earthquake researcher), Charles Richter, developed his scale as a way of comparing one earthquake with another. The Richter scale calculates the size of an earthquake by the amount of movement of the ground at the epicentre, using the height of the biggest shockwave and the time between the waves. These measurements are taken by a seismograph. However the actual force of an earthquake can also be affected by the depth of the earthquake.
Another way of measuring an earthquake is the Modified Mercalli scale, which measures the intensity of the earthquake, or the actual effect on people, buildings and the ground itself.

Bulls Pic Nic

Yes the Bull does seem placid I have been studying his courtship rituals

It all starts with him sniffing the air searching for the faint smell of oestrous ( I which i had sensitive nostrils like him ) Once he has detected the aroma, he starts to shadows the cow.
I assume this is to get her familiar with his attentions before the action to come I seen him mirror her movements ,when she ate grass, he ate grass .

If she stepped forward he did likewise. He nuzzles at her neck and and between her forelegs so she could get accustomed and desensitised.Licking of her neck and behind her ears was also part of his fore play.

Twelve other three year old steers were in the paddock with them
Lover boy had to continually assert his authority over the other steers while being tactful with his romance aspirations. Several of the steers began jumping up onto the cow from behind,
They must still have the nasal skills that i aspire too. It is comical watching their futile efforts as the hump unsuccessfully without and erection (More like a piggy back )

Bully Boy soon muscles them off the case . He quickly positions between the opposition and his target. His first couple of attempts to ride her are as useless as the steers . His carrot flopping about at half mast , never a threat . The cow is becoming more and more docile and at ease, in his company. She often turns her arse end to the Bull as if showing him the target . Sniffing and Snorting is emitted from the front end of the Bull. He is breathing hard from the chase and excursion

The cow stands and props . This must have been the body language Ferdinand is looking for.
Up he rises, a couple of wriggles a few steps and he is aboard. This activity is only testing the water because he repeats this process seven or eight times in the hour that I was watching from behind the electric fence. There was a small give away in the bulls eyes .
His decision making was reflected in a glint and wink, along with the grimace on as if determining whether he had the carrot in the correct orifice

After ten tries, he developed a glimmer in his eye and I'm sure he gave me a wink.The randy sod, puffing and breathing hard, went into a spasm from the back of his ears to the tip of his tail.
His love pole quadrupled in size, then he charged inward to cavities unseen by man.

The cow developed a shocked look at the forces being exerted, she darted forward about ten paces, dislodging Ferdie, to recuperate. Her decision making, seemed much more simple.

Yes !! I will have more of that !!

The love making continued into the afternoon . I unfortunately had work to do, fixing the tractor in the nearby shed. I could see a repeat show of GRANDE COITUS from the shed
Judging by the sexual activity, the sheer size of his size-twelve-nuts, the amount of cooperation's from the bovine recipient. We should be the proud grand parents of twins next XMAS

I wonder what will happen next

Alvin