THE SUNDA ERUPTIONS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1066, 5 October 1883, Page 2

THE SUNDA ERUPTIONS.

Cooktown, Sept. 26

The latest news from Batavia states I that over 80 miles of country complete 1 darkness was cast, in consequence of the 1 recent eruptions in the Straits of Sunda. I White ashes fell all over the city, and at 1 Oheriboh during the night all the gas I lights were extinguished and in the day I time the lamps had to be lit. ■ The sea rose to such a height in the Straits of Sunda that it totally swept over Anjer, I Tyerigan and Teloh Belong. It flooded all the rivers, which, rushing down, carried away the bridges and destroyed several Malay villages.; All boats on the coast were completely destroyed or carried far inland. All lighthouses in-the Straits have and the isWnd of Cracatoa has been rent into pieces by the> strength of the volcanic action, and has sunk into the sea. Charts of the Straits are no longer trustworthy, as the channel has entirely changed. Between the islands of Cracatoa and Ohessic sixteen volcanoes have appeared. The island of Svongapan has split into five islands. Bantam has been made a desert. Cattle are dying for want of food, and a famine appears to/be imminent. - • ■■ The residents are in despair. The volcanic mountain Biawoon,‘distant twenty ibiles from - Baftgongie, has also been in active eruption, emitting huge volumes of smoke. A telegram has been received by the Governor of Singapore from the .British Consul at Batavia as follows!:—“ In consequence of the volcanic action, the configuration- of Sunda Straits and the southern entrance thereto has been changed. . Some islands have disappeared, and also upheavals are suspected. ; &.njer, with the. lighthouse, has been destroyed, and probably other lighthouses in the neighborhood have been damaged. A survey is proceeding. Recommend mariners to use extreme caution.” At Anjer on Sunday evening strong detonations were heard and felt. The sea rose and fell three feet at intervals of from ten to fifteen minutes; Six distinct-shocks of earthquake were felt during the night, and early on the following morning a high column of water struck the land with a roaring noise. An hour later there was another of the same sort, fstill higher, causing great destruction of life and property. During the night of the 26th of August strong detonations from Cracatoa were heard at Soerokrata, and flashes of volcanic fires were visible at Batavia. At noon Serang was in total darkness, and stones were falling all over the town. Nu rnerous villages near An jer were washed away. It was almost dark at Batavia, and telegraph communication with Anjer was interrupted owing to the telegraph line being down. The river overflowed through the rush of the sea inland. All shops and offices were closed, and business was suspended. The Telegraph Inspector at Java reports that while trying torepair the lines between Serang and Anjer, he*saw a high column of sea approaching with a roaring noise. He fled inland, but believed Anjer was destroyed. At Batavia, at noon on the 28th August, everything was quiet and the sky was clear, and the temperature was down to lOdeg. and quite chilly. Towards nightfall the bamboo houses along the beach were washed away by the tidal wave, which was not veiy high. The fish in the sea were very dizzy, and were caught with ease by the natives. The town was covered with a thin layer of ashes, giving roads a quaint look, during which an ashy rain was distinctly heard falling. The mountain of Rawoon was in active eruption, emitting a column of smoke. All the lighthouses on the coast in the Straits, have been totally destroyed, and where, Mount Cracatoa stood the sea now flows.