Napier is a city on the east coast of the North Island, 320 km north of Wellington.
New Zealand’s worst natural disaster happened 80 years ago in Napier. 256 people died as a result of the 7.8 earthquake which struck at 10.47am on February 3rd 1931. The earth shook with two quakes for 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Some people on the streets were killed by concrete and bricks falling off buildings; other people inside buildings were killed when the building collapsed on top of them. Most people were killed in the city centre, not in their homes.
Fire killed other people. The fire station building was destroyed so fire trucks could not be used. Strong winds spread the fires. Water pipes were damaged in the earthquake so there was no water to put out the fires. Fires burnt for 36 hours.
Most of the brick and stone buildings in Napier were destroyed. Hastings, a city just 20km away, lost almost 200 buildings. People died in a department store and in the public library in Hastings.
Feb 3rd was the first day back at school after the summer holidays. Boys at Napier Boys’ High School left the assembly hall just in time before it collapsed. However, nine students died in the brick Technical College.
Napier was changed after the earthquake. Some land rose up out of the sea. Today’s airport is built on land which was under water before 1931. Buildings were demolished, roads widened and electricity lines were put underground, the first underground power lines in New Zealand.
Many of the new buildings were built in the Art Deco style which was popular in the 1930s. Today, Napier holds an Art Deco festival every year. This is a popular tourist event. This year, it will be held Feb 15th to 20th.
Questions
It is interesting to compare the 1931 Napier earthquake with the 2010 Christchurch earthquake in which nobody died. Why were people in Christchurch more fortunate? Listen to Sept 4th 2010 and other items tagged “earthquake”.
What do you know about the Art Deco style of architecture?
I am so pleased to be able to read about the Quake in Napier. My Grandfather Stanley Ellison was killed in the quake. I wish there was more infomation on how the different people were killed. My Dad has since passed as has his Mother. I remember Dad saying Stanley ran back into a building to look for his secretary. I wish I knew more. However thanks for this information that is already posted on this site.