Story: Historic earthquakes

The Mātakitaki landslide (1st of 2)

The Mātakitaki landslide

The upper storey was all that remained of the Morel homestead in the Mātakitaki valley, after it was overwhelmed by a landslide. Charles Morel and his wife ran ahead of the landslide – a moving slurry of water, clay, rocks and the wreckage of their house – but they tripped and fell. Charles Morel died, but his wife was found near the edge of the slip and rescued by a neighbour.

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Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference:  PAColl-8481

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How to cite this page:

Eileen McSaveney, 'Historic earthquakes - The 1929 Arthur’s Pass and Murchison earthquakes', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/4501/the-matakitaki-landslide (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Eileen McSaveney, published 12 Jun 2006, reviewed & revised 28 Mar 2011, updated 1 Nov 2017