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Story: Historic earthquakes

The Mātakitaki valley today (2nd of 2)

The Mātakitaki valley today

Over 70 years later, the huge landslide that destroyed the Morel homestead is still obvious in the Mātakitaki valley. The rough, hummocky topography of the landslide is too difficult to clear for farming. The slip blocked the Mātakaitaki River, and a lake extended almost 5 kilometres upstream until a flood in the 1930s, when the river carved a new path through the landslide.

About this item

GNS Science
Reference: CN46448/25
Photograph by Lloyd Homer

Permission of GNS Science must be obtained before any use of this image

How to cite this page:

Eileen McSaveney. 'Historic earthquakes', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 9-Feb-12
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/historic-earthquakes/5/6/2