DAM BURSTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 29 November 1927, Page 5

DAM BURSTS

APPALLING DEVASTATION HOUSES AND FACTORIES. DESTROYED. OVER 300 DROWNED. [By Cable — Press Assn. — Copyright.) London, Nov, 28. The “Daily Mail's” Algiers correspondent reports that the Fergond dam, 300 yards long and 100 teet high, collapsed, Mostaganem wireless messages state that the situation is terrible. Hie waters poured in through a railway tunnel, destroying factories and warehouses. All drams burst. Hundreds oi casualties are. mentioned.— (Sydney "Sun” cable. l ENGINEER SENDS OUT WARNING. INHABITANTS RUSH TO THE HILLS. Paris, Nov. 27. the floods in Algeria broke a dam and burst an underground river. Many houses in various towns collapsed. Aeroplanes are rendering a'd to people rendered homeless in out-of-the-way places. Trains are held up m several directions The frowned are believed to number more than 300. The promptness of an engineer at the Fergond dam in sending out telephone messages toi 40 minutes, warning people in tne picturesque town of Perregaux (the railway junction on the Habra river; 40 miles east of Oran), that the dam was about to collapse, averted an appalling disaster The majority of tbe 10. COO inhabitants were enabled to rush to the hills, where they at present are isolated and destitute. The Hood engulfed trams, twisting engines and bridges into fantastic shapes Two Europeans were seen clinging to a tree top but help was impossible and they were overwhelmed. Rescuers are endeavouring to reach a marooned train, in which nre manv starving children, with food and water.—(A.l’.A. and “Sun” cable.) CROPS RUINED. (Received 29, 12.25 p.m.) London, Nov. 28. As the whole region of Algeria below the dam, which collapsed during floods, depends on the reservoir for irrigation, it may be impossible to grow crops again for some years.— (A. and N.Z.)