QUAKE DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1930, Page 5

QUAKE DISASTER

TRAGIC STOHIES. [United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.] ROME, July 24. The earthquake was accompanied by a terri.iic heat wave throughout .Southern Italy. In Naples there were ..relatively tew casualties, though the .poorer buildings (.suffered badly. Tens of thousands of terror-stricken .citizens of the city o>f Naples gathered on the quay sides, expecting an eruplion from Mount Vesuvius. There have been many pathetic infcidents. They include the case of a. -.man in Naples being struck dumb owing to the shock of seeing his aged mother and his small daughter being crushed by a falling ceiling. The earthquake was the worst in living memory at Naples, though not comparable with the Messina quake in .December, ISOS. Houses collapsed in all parts of Naples. The streets were immediately alive with terrified people, seeking for open spaces or for the churches where they implored the clergy to bring out the Miraculous images. The public fear was increased by several short circuits in the electric supply system, plunging the city in darkness.

Moreover the streets were quickly filled with vehicles of every description, dashing wildly hither and thither some pedestrians being run over in the general stampede. Many pathetic incidents were recorded. Details of the disaster were slow in reaching Rome, owing to the disruption in the communication.

MELFI’S TERRIBLE ORDEAL. ROME, July 24. There were five more violent shakes at Melfi in'the afternoon, causing a further loss of life. The town lies at the foot of a volcano, Vultur, which has been extinct for thousands of years. There is a report that the volcano is now giving signs of activity, and it has added to the general terror, especially as it is remembered that Melfi was destroyed by a terrible earthquake in the year 1851, when thousands of people were killed. At Potenza, the historic palace of the Emperor Frederick the Second collapsed, and a number of persons were buried in its ruins. There were terrible scenes at Rionero, where many children in an mifant. asylum were injured. One woman endeavoured to protect three children with her body, but all of them were killed. The from Melfi tell tragic stories. The people behaved as though they were under the belief that the end of the world had come. THE WORST AREA. THOUSANDS OF VICTIMS. ' ! ; LONDON, July 24. In the Benevento district, including ' the town of Villa-Novn : Albnnese telegrams state, 3000 were buried alive, including 2000 in the town mentioned. The British United press corres* ondent, Mr Thomas Morgan, telegraphing from Benevento, puts a much more serious complexion on the disaster than the official accounts would indicate. He states that the two thousand dead are being extricated from the ruins of the town of Villa-Nova-Albanese by soldiers, who rushed Benevento, hundreds of bodies had already been buried, and hundreds of others were awaiting interment, lying on stretchers covered with clothes. He says that (from the ruins, terribly mangled bodies of old and young are still being extricated, having been crushed out of all recognition, and dis- j embowelled. These are being buried as fast as the bodies are recovered. The injured are lying ■on stretchers awaiting lorrie sto take them to Avellino. One easant at Villa-Nova-Al-banese told Mr Morgan : “There were three thousand in the town, and only two of us can be found now. They 'are all under the ruins.” Mr Morgan says that Villa-Nova-Del-Battista, which is a suburb of i Villa-Novn-Albnnese, ' exists no more ■The survivors are so demented that they cannot state to what family they belong. One Septuagenarian was found Wildly mourning the loss of six grown children. His only other son lives in the United States. RELIEF AND RESCUE WORK. ROME, July 24. . The Pope is active in preparing relief. He has also telegraphed apostolic blessing to the Bishop of Melfi, Duchess of Aosta was early among the rescue workers, setting out from Naples immediately with a Red Cross train, in the hope that her pre.sence would reassure the (frightened populace. Croups of aeroplanes have been ordered to explore and to report on the extent of the disaster to Signor Mussolini. In some cases the women seemed to have died of terror, as there was no visible injury on their bodies. TOTAL CASUALTIES UNKNOWN. LONDON, July 24. Mr Morgan says: As many of the victims were peasants who were sui-

prised in their sleep and were unable to escape from collapsing-walls, the proper computation of the casualties is almost impossible until the wreckage is cleared. EARTHQUAKE’S TOLL. HURRICANE ADDS TO TERRORS. (Received this day at 10.30 a.m.) - ROME, July 24. An official statement says the dead, as the result of the earthquake, number 1,778, injured, 4,264. Houses completely destroyed, 3,188, partially destroyed, 2.757. Two hundred bodies have been recovered at Melfi. Aeroplanes are speeding to devastated areas and directing the searchers. A terrific hurricane at Naples added .tp. the terrors. Trees and cottages were ""blown down and gigantic waves pounded over the promenades. STRICKEN ITALY. A FEARSOME STORY. (Received this dav at 11 a.in.) LONDON, July 24. 'Die British United ’Press correspondent at Benevento estimates, after a personal survey, that a million are homeless in the stricken area. The towns of Villanova. Albnnese, Ariano, and Montecalvo, are completely destroyed, while Zuncoli, and San Sossio have been evacuated 'by the entire surviving population. The towns, of Lacedonia, Agnilonia and Bisasscia are almost completely destroyed. . Hardly a single inhabitant escaped injury. Perhaps the most curious fact, is that none were killed at Oandila, despite the fact that ninety per cent of the huildingp are uninhabitable. Relief in the shape of tin. food and blankets are being brought in rapidly. Search is continuing for bodies, and coffins are being hastily constructed from packing cases. Funerals are being hurried on as the town authorities fear an epidemic. A majority of the children at Melfi lost their parents. The whole population of Little Hilltown are living out of doors. FURTHER ’OU\KES. ROME, July 24. There were two further earthquake? to day, not violent, hut caused many tottering houses to collapse. The nv ers have risen to a Hood height though no rain has fallen.