30,000 DROWNED.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1542, 11 September 1912, Page 7

30,000 DROWNED.

FLOOD IN CHINAA TERRIBLE CATASTROPHE. TOWNS IN RUINS. By TelceraDh-Prejs Aesociation-CoßTrlirht (Rec. September 10, 11.10 p.m.) Shanghai, September 10. A letter from Wcnchow, a port about 2.10 miles south of Shanghai, states that floods occurred on August 29 and attained the proportions of a tidal wave at Chunchow, and also overwhelmed Tsingticn, drowning 10,000. Tho flood entirely destroyed Koneo and washed away sovcral small towns on tho river. Wcnchow, on the morning of August 30, was a terrible sight. Ruins of numberless homesteads were to bo seen floating swiftly seawards with men, women, and children crouched on them. It is exceedingly difficult to estimate tho loss of life, but it is believed that between 30,000 and 40,000 havo been drowned. Wenchow is a prefecturnl city in tho Province of Chehkiang. It is situated on tho south bank of the River Clow, about 20 miles up from the sea. The population of the city is estimated at about 80,000. The port, which was opened to foreign trade in 1876, has not justified tho expectations formed of it as a. commercial centre, and in 1908 tho direct foreign trade was valued at .£19,000 only. Thero is no foreign settlement at AVenchow, and tho foreign residents are mainly officials and missionaries. The walls of the city, .which were built in tho tenth century, are almost four miles in circumference. Tho neighbourhood is hilly and pretty.