Wairarapa quake panic, damage

Smashed: Earthquake damage at the Eketahuna bottle store.

Eketahuna antique dealer Glenn McDean described his fear as he struggled - and failed - to reach the door as yesterday's earthquake rocked the small town.

The "severe" magnitude 6.2 quake has damaged homes and closed roads in the lower North Island, toppling walls and chimneys and sending rockfalls across roads.

The quake, initially reported as a magnitude 6.3, struck 10km north of Castlepoint in Wairarapa, at a depth of 33km at 3.52pm, GeoNet said.

In Wairarapa, Eketahuna residents lost power and water, with many comforting and recounting their experiences in the street, while others congregated at the Eketahuna Community Hall, which was opened as a Civil Defence co-ordination centre.

Image 1 of 15: The giant eagle hanging from the roof of Wellington airport to promote the Hobbit trilogy has fallen down due to the shake. Photo / Kylie Te Moananui

Some residents described flooded kitchens and floors covered in broken crockery.

A St John's paramedic said there had been no reports of injuries.

Mr McDean, co-owner of Sarah Jones antiques, said he could not get to the front door because the building was moving so much.

"Stuff was going everywhere, we're all still in shock.

"It's the fear. We have never experienced like it.

"The way the building was moving, I was convinced it was coming down."

Eketahuna Four Square and bottle store manager Tanmay Patel is facing a hefty clean-up after products and alcohol were scattered across the floor.

"I've never felt something like that in my whole life," he said.

"My son was inside. I just shouted as loud as I could: get out of the shop."

He said he had felt four or five aftershocks since the first quake.

Eketahuna community board chair Charlie Death had been in Woodville when the quake struck.

He said a substation at Alfredton had caught fire, and he had heard the Pahiatua track was closed.

DISCUSSION: Tararua District Councillor Warren Davidson talks to police in Eketahuna as locals sort out their damage.

Local police Constable Donna Olliver said police were busy checking residents, particularly the elderly.

"We're organising little clean-up crews.

"A little town comes together at times like this."

She was backed up by a team of Central Districts police officers under Inspector Dave White, who had been doing a checkpoint at Woodville.

Mr White said the officers were immediately deployed to check on small towns in the district.

Castlepoint was also close to the earthquake's centre and Devon Oakly, manager at Castlepoint Store, told the Times-Age the earthquake was "the best one" he had felt.

"It's certainly the strongest we've had in Wairarapa for a long, long while.

"It was pretty sharp - quite bad."

Mr Oakly said damage to the store and the attached restaurant was minor but nerves were suitably rattled.

"We lost a couple of glasses in the restaurant, but nothing else came off the shelves," he said.

"I'm too old to worry about these things. But my daughters were quite upset. My daughter's dog was upset too, he was cringing around all over the place."

Customers had not reported severe damage but one reported that "a whole lot of cars" had left the Castlepoint Holiday Park en masse, said Mr Oakly.

"They might have been worried there was a big wave coming."

In Masterton, the Daniell Building in the CBD was evacuated as a precaution, with Masterton District Council assisting two tenants to find hotel accommodation, while others were put up by family.

Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson said her staff had told her all roads were passable and they had had no reports of structural damage.

She said building inspectors would be out to check the town's older buildings.

Mitre 10 Mega on Ngaumutawa Rd sustained minimal damage but customers were left traumatised by the shaking, said duty manager Tira Pollock.

"Our customers were really panicking," she said. "We had one guy who hurdled himself over the barrier and left his wife just standing in the shop.

"People were clamouring to get out. Luckily, our staff managed to keep fairly calm."

The Mitre 10 building had several cracks in its exterior and "a few sealants" had fallen from the shelves. "But it sounded like two trains coming through the building," said Ms Pollock.

"It was pretty noisy. Definitely the worst earthquake I've experienced."

Customers at Pak'n Save at Kuripuni were more relaxed, continuing with their shopping straight afterwards.

"I went to check on our customers about five minutes afterwards, and they were carrying on as if nothing had happened," said duty manager Keith Marshall. "I think it was more of a big shock for the staff."

Mr Marshall said cartons of eggs had broken in the quake, as had some small jars.

GeoNet said they had received more than 6000 "felt" reports from the public by 4.30pm.