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Tidal Surges Hit Gisborne
The tidal surges generated by the big earthquakes in Chile last month hit Gisborne in the form of a rapid and unprecedented ebbing and flowing of the sea.
Every half hour or so the tide flowed swiftly into the rivers and the harbour, only to drain out again just as quickly.
The only ship in harbour was the Pakura. The tide fell so low that at times she was sitting on the mud.
Thousands of people gathered at the harbour basin or along the city's rivers to watch as the turbulent waters flowed in and out.
Fortunately there was no serious damage, although on two occasions the water level in the harbour basin rose dangerously near to the overflow level.
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Dennis Reichenbach was shovelling sand into his truck on Pouawa Beach as the first of the tidal surges came. One minute he was all right, the next the waves were breaking over his head. He hurriedly dried the distributor of the truck, and actually got it started, but before he could get away, another wave killed his engine, and the truck had to be abandoned. Here it is being rescued next day by Tommy Shean and his salvage truck.
Ever seen flood waters going UP-stream? This phenomenon was a familiar sight in the local rivers during the day of the surges. When this picture was taken of the Turanganui River at the railway bridge, it was as though a heavy flood in the river had been filmed, and then screened the wrong way round.
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A Sight Which Might Never Be Seen Again: The Harbour Basin (left), Filled Almost To Overflowing, At Five O'Clock On The Evening Of May 24, 1960. At Right Is The Turanganui River, Flowing Out Fast, And Already Well Below The Level Of Water In The Basin.
Lloyd Cornish
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, Filled Almost To Overflowing, At Five OClock On The Evening Of May 24, 1960. At Right Is The Turanganui River, Flowing Out Fast, And Already Well Below The Level Of Water In The Basin.\r\nLloyd Cornish\r\n\r\nGisborne Photo News - No 72 : June 16, 1960'); void 0){kind=link}
, Filled Almost To Overflowing, At Five OClock On The Evening Of May 24, 1960. At Right Is The Turanganui River, Flowing Out Fast, And Already Well Below The Level Of Water In The Basin.\r\nLloyd Cornish\r\n\r\nGisborne Photo News - No 72 : June 16, 1960'); void 0){kind=link}
, Filled Almost To Overflowing, At Five OClock On The Evening Of May 24, 1960. At Right Is The Turanganui River, Flowing Out Fast, And Already Well Below The Level Of Water In The Basin.\r\nLloyd Cornish\r\n\r\nGisborne Photo News - No 72 : June 16, 1960'); void 0){kind=link}