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