The earthquake ruined many years of expensive work improving State Highway 6 in the Inangahua and Buller Gorge areas.

The electricity and phone networks were out, and many water pipes in Inangahua were damaged beyond repair.

Other West Coast towns were heavily shaken; more than two-thirds of the chimneys in Greymouth, Westport, and Reefton were damaged.

[6] Shortly after the earthquake, one man died near Greymouth when his car hit a subsided section of road on the run-up to a bridge.

[2] An additional three men were killed on 29 May when a Bell 47G-2A helicopter, piloted by Gordon Hutchings, carrying two Post Office linesmen, Robert Pedder and Edwin Steer, from Murchison to Lyell, hit power lines and crashed shortly after take-off.

The rising water backed up for 7 kilometres (4.3 mi), raising the river to 30 metres above its normal level.

The dammed river eventually overflowed the landslide debris and gradually eroded it down, without causing serious flooding.

People gathering there were concerned to hear that radio broadcasts only mentioned minor earthquake activity—the rest of New Zealand seemed unaware of what had happened to their town.

[5] The people of Inangahua remained alone in the disaster for several hours, until a driver managed to contact Gisborne on his truck radio.

By noon, commercial and RNZAF Bell UH-1H helicopters were coming into the area with aid and to survey damage.

Four people, including a constable and a doctor carrying a pack of medical supplies, walked to Inangahua Junction from Reefton.