1931 quake sparked tidal-wave fear

Many people escaped from the CBD to the safety of Marine Parade Beach, but were soon on the move again to the Bluff Hill, fearing a tsunami. Photo/Arthur C Goodger

The recent November 7.8 magnitude earthquake in North Canterbury had many similarities to Hawke's Bay's in February 1931.

For a start they were both a 7.8 magnitude and involved the navy coming to assist. There was an uplift of land; the noise of water running off this land back to the sea, and it appears - confusion over tsunami warnings.

The recent super moon had many questioning whether this had anything to do with the North Canterbury earthquakes.

Interestingly, Raphael's Prophetic Almanac - an English publication which predicted weather and other events based on astrology - had expected a drought "over the Northern Island" of New Zealand and "also fiery, destructive earthquakes" due to the position of Mars in 1931.

Tidal waves, or tsunamis as they are more now commonly known were not strangers to New Zealanders in 1931. In fact one was widely reported in local newspapers as occurring in New Guinea in January 1931 and claiming the lives of missionaries.

After the February 1931 earthquake struck, many people in Napier (as pictured) made their way to the Marine Parade Beach.

Alarmingly it was noticed by those who had gathered that the sea had receded along the whole of the Marine Parade (which would have been the uplift of land). Seeing this someone started yelling that a tidal wave was coming, and urged people to "take to the hills".

A Mrs Jackson said a motorcyclist rode around south Napier saying "take to the hills, a tidal wave is coming".

Mrs Jackson said people were terrified and ran in all directions, with women fainting. The scene, she said "was a terrible one".

No tidal wave occurred on the Marine Parade Beach, or even at Westshore.

However, some days after the earthquake a Mr W Neville who farmed on Portland Island near Mahia, arrived in Napier and said a wave of more than 20 feet (6.09m) washed over the island. Mr W Neville reported the wave travelled in a south-east direction.

The Auckland Star reported that had the land sunk seven feet (2.2m) instead of rising, a tidal wave would likely have hit Napier. A tidal surge was also reported going up the Waikari River north of Napier at 15m above the high tide mark.

I have read some accounts of some men shouting a tidal wave was coming immediately after the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake - but this was a decoy to clear the CBD area to commence looting.

Some South Island people were also victims of looting during the North Canterbury earthquake when fleeing for higher ground, thieves took the opportunity of empty homes.

• Michael Fowler (mfhistory@gmail.com) is the heritage officer at the Art Deco Trust, and trainer in accounting for non-accountants www.financialfitness.co.nz
Michael's books A Collage of History: Hastings, Havelock North and Napier and From Disaster to Recovery: The Hastings CBD 1931-35 are re-released for Christmas and available at Whitcoulls, Hastings and Napier; Napier i-Site; Art Deco Trust Napier; Wardini Havelock North and Napier; Hastings, Taradale and Napier Paper Plus and Poppies Havelock North.