Earthquake's Full Toll Still Uncounted

Chronicle (Levin), 24 December 1946, Page 5

Earthquake's Full Toll Still Uncounted

Press Assn.

OVER 100,80# HQMELJsSS

By Telegraph

.-Copyright

Received Tuesday, 11 a.m. TOKIO, Dec. 23. The Home Ministry uow reports that 1.026 are dead, 14& missing, 1035 injured and over 100,000 home less as a result of the earthquake and tidal wave. Losses in life and' property in some places are still uncounted. It is also estimated that 2196 ships were wrecked or swept away. It is reported! that ships eighty miles fram the centre of the earthquake felt the force as if they had! struck a mine. Landslides have bloeked the Shikoku Island railway. "British command at Kure also reported that three landslides near Okayama have bloeked the main railway from Kure to Tokio. In Kochi city four and six storey buildings collapsed blocking tlie streets. British Occupation head^uarters at Kure rocked like a jelly yesterday, according to Ma.jor General llobertson. A few retaining walls crumpled but the principal buildings are undamaged. A correspondent reports that a young wonian at Kochi rau from her trenibling home during the earthquake and i'ound a pillar of liquid shooting from a lissure i 11 the field. Tlie wonian thonght the liquid smelled like oil and tested it with a matcli. The whole village was called out to extinguish the 3(1 foot gusher. Osaka dispatches report that aircraft dropped food and water to 1()0 Allied Occupation troops still isolated in little garrisons 011 tli.e shaftered, wave Jashed Wa kayama Peninsula.. All the personnel are safe. Tliere were three landslides on the main railway between Kure and Tokio.