Interior of one of the earthquake damaged house at Inangahua.Fri, May 24,1968

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DescriptionInterior of one of the earthquake damaged house at Inangahua.1968.

Uploaded to Kete West Coast by Trich Devescovi.
Most of New Zealand felt the earthquake that struck the town of Inangahua in 1968. It was centred about 15 km north of Inangahua, but intensities of MM 4 and greater were recorded as far south as Otago and in almost all of the North Island, with the exception of areas in the north-east. Close to Inangahua, where intensities reached at least MM 10, the quake caused widespread destruction. Fortunately, the area’s small population meant casualties were minor, but most structures, including wooden houses, roads and bridges, suffered extensive damage in the quake. Underground pipes broke under the strain, and railway lines twisted and buckled, derailing two trains. One hundred kilometres of track later had to be replaced.

The quake also triggered large landslides in the surrounding slopes, one of which claimed the lives of two people. Inangahua and Westport were evacuated when another massive slip dammed the Buller River, raising the river 30m above its normal level, causing fears that a sudden failure of the dam would flood these downstream settlements. Due to the number of roads and bridges that had collapsed or been blocked in the quake, including the newly constructed Buller Gorge Highway, 235 people had to be airlifted to safety.

Numerous aftershocks followed the quake, including 15 that were magnitude 5 or greater and occurred within a month of the initial shock
Date of PhotoFri, May 24 1968Map^[1]External LinkGeonet NZ

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Location (city or town)InangahuaEventInterior of one of the earthquake damaged house at Inangahua.

Category Information

Category Tagearthquake

From Facebook

Date Created18th August 2022CommentsMaree Lewis
Amazing how the vase of flowers survived!

Brian Finlayson
I was only 6 years old but never forgotten it.

Raymond Henry Kelly
Brian Finlayson I wanted to go to my Aunties place as I thought they didn't have earthquakes. Lol. 3 years old. I didn't even realize he was a pedophile. Just thought it was normal.
Reply22h
Steve Wilkinson
Brian Finlayson Same age..have this vivid memory of try to get to mum and dads room up the hallway, with the walls just moving side to side

Brian Finlayson
Hi Steve, was that your house on mill st?

Ian Schroder
The bricks look clean as bricklayer rebuilt all those double fire places from the ground up early 1960s

Cathy Howat
I was 13 and living in Picton. I heard what sounded like a train coming down the Elevation. The cat took off and then two things happened. The earthquake hit and I wet my pants
Robyn Mccavitt
I was 7 when that earthquake hit, we lived in chch and were under the table, remember it vividly, how traumatic it would have been for everyone over there.

Arthur Blance
Remember it vividly. Lived in Dobson.8 years old.It sounded like a huge truck coming towards the house.It got louder and louder then bang .Remember running outside scared shitless. Killed our pet bird with fright. Broken stuff inside the house chimney … See more

Lyn Tyson
Who owned this house?

Elaine Matthews
I was a baby and my older sister was holding me. She fainted and dropped meElaine Bolitho
We were in ChCh and the rattling wardrobe doors woke us,, I said to my husband "Let the cat out of the wardrobe!" Never lived it down. He got a ride over to Reefton to see his parents - they got through because he went with his Press reporter/photographer cousin. Parents were so pleased to see him and he was able to help with their cleanup - including dozens of broken glass jars full of preserved fruit! Eeriest thing he commented on was how this coal town had no smoke up that day - too many damaged chimneys!
Lynda Lander
The noise just before earthquake hit was like a train coming down the road. A great roar. And that was in Richmond, south of Nelson. Petrifying.

Myron Caldwell
Lynda Lander I asked what had happened to our old shop at Inangahua. Stock answer was ;munted' I had left there a few years earlier.
Joy Meyer
I remember that earthquake. My sisters and my bed ended in the middle of the room.

Fay Gilson
Our place had to have 3 chimneys replaced in Reefton with the earthquake but no structural damage thank goodness

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Interior of one of the earthquake damaged house at Inangahua.Fri, May 24,1968

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