A Tribute

Day 34-366

A tribute to the 1931 Hawke's Bay Earthquake

Hastings City Centre 3rd February 2012

Today, 81 years ago at 10.47am a 2 & a 1/2 minute 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook Hawke's Bay.  The earthquake and fires to follow  without remorse took the lives of 256 people, with thousands injured.  Hastings and Napier cities were hit the most, both cities were almost levelled.   

There is so much more to tell about this earthquake, many of you know so much already.  My Nana has shared her tragic memories with me of the quake, to endure such a thing as a young school child would have been horrific.

Today in the centre of Hastings City there was a tribute, I was unable to attend due to work commitments, however upon taking my son into town after school we were able to site the tribute "HB Tribune Ltd" papers hanging up.  Lovely to see and read some pages quickly.  I will go back to read some more.

I hope to photograph some more of Hawke's Bays building's too over the next year,  Art Deco and Spanish Mission architecture is a love of mine.  With being a born and breed Hastings girl, there is plenty of it here to amuse me, thanks to the rebuild.   

Sadly earthquakes are much to common in New Zealand and in the Pacific Ring of Fire.  Often I wonder why we live here,  yes it's a beautiful to be and we are very lucky to be here.  But we can't live in fear. 

Years pass, People grow stronger cities rebuild, some a little faster than others.  I constantly think of Christchurch and my friends there.  Those Southerners are a hardy lot and I wish them much love and support!  I wonder what Christchurch architecture will be like when they are able to rebuild.  Will it be a themed style, eco friendly, Advant Guarde or plain Jane Modern and up most safe?