Asia-Pacific
New Zealand city commemorates quake on anniversary
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-02-03 11:43
 |
Large Medium Small |
WELLINGTON: New Zealand's greatest disaster, the Hawke's Bay earthquake, has been remembered in Hastings, a major city in Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand.
| ||||
On February 3, 1931, an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck the district. Hastings and neighboring towns were devastated by the earthquake and fire.
A total of 258 people in Hastings, Napier and Wairoa died and thousands of others were injured.
Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule said on Wednesday at the gathering that the earthquake was 30 times stronger than the magnitude 7.0 quake which devastated Haiti on January 12.
He said it was important to remember the sacrifice, commitment and vision of those who survived the earthquake and rebuilt Hastings and Napier using Art Deco and Spanish mission architecture.
Now Hastings and Napier are New Zealand's Art Deco capital. Thousands of people flock to Napier every February for the Art Deco Weekend event, a celebration of its Art Deco heritage and history.
