ITALY'S TERRIBLE AFFLICTION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2362, 19 January 1915, Page 6

ITALY'S TERRIBLE AFFLICTION

o THE EARTHQUAKE AND AFTER CLEARING THE RUINS i MOUNTAIN SPLIT OPEN i ' ', By Telesraph.—Press Association—Copyright ; (Rec. January 18, 8.40 p.m.) . J Rome, January 18. ;/ King Emanuel has donated £12,000 j for the relief of the orphans. Tho restoration of communication re- . veals heavy casualties in the mountain i towns. Many of the injured have died . from lack of medical treatment, while i hundreds have succumbed to exposure. Soldiers are clearing the ruins of the ; church' at Ortuchio, and endeavouring i to rescue a hundred buried women, ■ whose cries are heard. 1 Several cruel articles have appeared 1 in Austrian. newspapers, pointing out that a European war is more fatal than . an earthquake, and that Europe cannot ; do more than express condolence, adding: "Italy is in the enviable position of being well looked after." NO RELIEF CIFTS EXPECTED. NATION'S CALM FORTITUDE. (Rec. January 18, 9.50 p.m.) ' London, January 18. "Lloyd's News's" correspondent reports that the earthquake has entirely , destroyed eighteen Italian towns and villages; in thirteen others scarcely a building is intact, while a dozen others are damaged. During twenty-four hours ninety-eight shocks, were experienced, 3 completing the' demolition of the walls in the stricken towns, 'and impeding rescue operations. 1 He states that the Italian Government has announced that, in view of the 1 international upheaval, no relief contributions can be expected from foreign 1 countries, neutral or otherwise. •., SHOCKS STILL CONTINUE. ] MOUNT RENT IN TWAIN. DISTRESSING SCENES i (Rec. January 19, 0.15. a.m.) Rome, January 18. r The earthquake shocks continue; 185 i have been registered since the disaster commenced. The earthquake rent Mount Pizzodeta, 2 6000 feet high, in two, and the gap can be seen for miles.. " . Hjixty towns wore destroyed in half a minute. Of five hundred survivors 2 who have been taken from the ruins of Avezzano, half are since dead. Many 2 of the survivors Aave lost their reason, ; and wander about the ruins, calling the 2 names of their loved ones. Fifty thousand 6oldiers are engaged in rescue work in the district, with small result. The terrified refugees are 2 huddled • in hastily-constructed shelters along the roads, and iu caves in the hillsides. ' 2 Frightful scenes occurred when the first cart of food arrived at Sora, the crowd fighting until the cart was empty. 2 Sora was destroyed, but tho loss of life was small because the : townspeople 2 wore early risers, mostly agriculturists. A priest was conducting the funeral of a child at Caseilliri, and twenty chil- 2 dren were kneeling around the coffin. , when suddenly tho earth shook, and with a deafening crash tho church col- 2 lapsed, crushing the congregation, including the children. A sergeant of carbineers at Avezzano, hearing moans iu a ruin, ordered a hole C 'to be excavated. His men lowered him into tho hole head downwards, and he q worked until lie had released a girl whose body was entangled in tho heams of a cellar. Holding the girl by the waist, the men hoisted both to safety. The attempts to rescue 140 school- . girls have thus far been a failure. x c