Story: Earthquakes

Recalling the Hawke’s Bay earthquake

Jean Martin was working as a housekeeper in Napier when the 1931 earthquake struck. She remembers the motion of the earthquake, and describes the scene outside. This photograph shows dramatic wreckage on a Napier road.

Sound file: Jean Martin, interview by Helen McConnochie for ‘Reflecting on disaster: memories of the Napier earthquake’, 1997–98 (1’29”–1’59”)

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How to cite this page:

Eileen McSaveney, 'Earthquakes - Living with earthquakes', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/speech/4708/recalling-the-hawkes-bay-earthquake (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Eileen McSaveney, published 12 Jun 2006, reviewed & revised 1 Aug 2017