3 Feb 2010

Hastings remembers 1931 earthquake

2:52 pm on 3 February 2010

[n] New Zealand's greatest disaster, the Hawke's Bay earthquake, has been remembered in Hastings.

On 3 February 1931 at 10.46am, an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck the district.

A total of 258 people in Hastings, Napier and Wairoa died and thousands were injured.

About 500 people gathered on Wednesday in front of the Hastings clock tower.

Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule said the earthquake was 30 times stronger than the magnitude 7.0 quake which devastated Haiti on 12 January this year.

Mr Yule said it is important to remember the sacrifice, commitment and vision of those who survived the quake and rebuilt Hastings and Napier using Art Deco and Spanish mission architecture.