Hastings to commemorate 1931 HB earthquake this weekend

Hastings district’s annual commemoration of the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake is coming up this weekend, with the community invited to gather at the clock tower in Hastings city mall on Saturday, February 3 at 10.30am.

At 10.47am the Hastings clock tower bells will ring to mark the exact moment the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck 93 years ago, resulting in 256 lives lost across Hawke’s Bay, with thousands more people requiring medical treatment.

The occasion is particularly poignant this year, with the region having faced and now recovering from another natural disaster, said Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst.

“Just as after the 1931 earthquake our community is once again drawing on its collective strength and resilience to recover from Cyclone Gabrielle.

“As well as the general public, we warmly invite survivors and also their families to join us to commemorate this significant event in our region’s history.”

The ceremony will also include an opening performance by members of the Hawke’s Bay Caledonian Pipe Band, a karakia by kaumātua Jerry Hapuku, an address by mayor Sandra Hazlehurst, and readings by local high school students.

People are welcome to bring wreaths to lay at the base of the clock tower at the end of the service.

2 February 2024

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