Around 200 people gathered in the Hastings city centre mall this morning for the annual Hastings commemoration of the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake.
Students from Hastings Central and St Matthew’s schools joined members of the public, survivors and families, Hastings district councillors and other invited guests at the 94th anniversary of the country’s most catastrophic natural disaster.
Speaking at the event, Hastings Mayor, Sandra Hazlehurst, acknowledged the survivors, including regular attendees who had recently passed away.
“We miss them – although they were very young, the memories of that day were etched forever in their young minds,” she said.
The Mayor recognised the loss of life, and the sacrifice and service to others that was illustrated during and in the months and years after the event.
“As we saw with Cyclone Gabrielle, disasters like this bring people together and highlight the brave and selfless actions taken by many to support their fellow citizens.”
“We also acknowledge those who contributed to the rebuild and recovery from this devastating event,” she said.
Three survivors who attended the event were Gwen and Alan Arrel, and 99-year-old Ray Hensman.
Ray’s son Mark spoke on his behalf, detailing how Ray was five-years-old and just heading to his first day at Hastings Central School when the earthquake struck.
“He knew what it was from previous earthquakes. The teacher tried to get the pupils in a line to go outside, with the ground still heaving and lurching.”
Picked up by his father, Ray remembered going home to find the chimney on the ground and bottled and stewed fruit strewn across the floor. The family stayed outside in a tent for about 10 days afterwards, and when the school re-opened classes were held outside till it was safe to go back in.
“At 99 with recent memories fading, he can still remember many details from that fateful day,” said his son, Mark.
As part of the ceremony, the clock tower bells tolled at 10.47am, marking the time of the earthquake this day in 1931.
The ceremony ended with wreaths laid at the town clock, where the names of the 91 people from Hastings who perished are listed on engraved plaques.
