FALLS OF EARTH

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1930, Page 5

FALLS OF EARTH

CAUSE MANY DEATHS

L United Press Association.—P j Electric Telegraph.—Copy right. J

(Received this day at 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 13

As the result of great falls of earth, due to the collapse of underground workings early in tho morning seventy are believed to have been killed in the densely populated Saint .Jean district of Lyons. ’TWo streets were, engulfed and many liousrs wrecked. Many were killed in their sleep. T[iere were two falls of earth, the second causing probably sixteen deaths chiefly among firemen and policemen who rushed to aid the sufferers. FURTHER. l’A RTICULAES. (Received this day at 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 13.

The .St. Jean disaster occurred in the old part of the town which was soaked by recent exceptional rains. Thousands of tons of earth fell with a thunderous noise, rousing the entire district. The scores injured were taken to tho Cathedral and attended by Nuns. Police immediately began the evacuation of houses in the surrounding districts. Whole families Were aroused and led to places of safety.

“NoiSes like tlumker awoke me,” Said a survivor. “When I opened my eyes I saw the ruins of my house about me. I lay in the debris until rescued by firemen. Half an' hour later came another rumbling sound, and another collapsed and buried the rescuers and myself. It was a terrible sight. IVie houses trampled like a pack of cards. The ground trembled as though it was an earthquake.” Tho second collapse sent a huge mass of earth and stone like an avalanche upon the already engulfed houses.

LONDON, Nov. 13,

A detachment of sappers, equipped with searchlights, were quickly on the spot but the piled up dust and rubbish prevented anything being seen clearly. Firemen and sappers surrounded the ruins searching for nineteen buried comrades, but were unable to hear anything. Anxiety was increased when another collapse occurred at four o’clock.

TOWN SLIPPING AWAY

HEROIC RESCUE ATTEMPTS

(Received this dnv at 12.25. p.m.l LONDON, November 13. A message from Lyons states the extent of the havoc precludes a computation of the deaths which possibly llutilber tine hundred. Two hundred yards of the street slid fifty yards down hill towards the river Saone neat its junction with the Rhone, There were five convulsions between 1 a.m. and 4 o'clock. The Basilica Fourviere Cathedral which was founded on rock, towers on the edge of a new formed precipice, below which Antiqualle Hospital, now evacuated, holds back tons of debris at the foot of a vast chasm. The first warning came when the high wall of Saint Patliin Hospital, situated over a quarry, crashed down on a house occupied by nuns, demolishing it like a pack of cards. A survivor narrates he was awakened by a noise like an explosion, follor.ved by motor horns of the fire brigades, but returned to bed, escaping an hour later with a brother and aged mother after the collapse of a bouse opposite whose inmates also returned to bed but were mostly saved by firemen equipped with ropes and ladders. Othors stampeded after the first collapse. The street was packed with bewildering men, women and children in light clothes, until amid the increasing panic, accommodation was provided in the Cathedral and elsewhere. The Public. Square resembles a rummage market owing to the presence of retrieved household goods thrown down higglev piggledy. The rescuers had rushed up in tire darkness and had barely installed an arc light when a block of houses fell on them entombing twenty-three firemen and police, and cutting an ambulance in two. Subsidence followed subsidence until a long row of seven storied tenements was a heap of ruins. Nevertheless, volunteers defying the death danger, galla.ntly strove with tin? rescue work. All tlie taxi calls in the town were mobilised as ambulances. Despite illness, the ex-premier M. Her riot who is Mayor, hastened to the scene. Be heard firemen explain that twenty-three bodies were under bis feet. The fire, brigade captain, Rocliat, and assistant captain, Netral, and police captain Monsanion wore struck down instantly while directing operations. A Parish Priest was badly gashed by falling masonry but continued bis I ministrations with the injured. I Work is being pushed on desperately amid subterrannean cries and moans. Corpses were being extricated while the hill side was still edging it.selt towards the river. Oxygen was administered to a .semiconscious woman who could not lie extricated. A doctor after wriggling to her side at the utmost risk, injected morphia. A press aeroplane from Paris fell into the river Saone near its destination and sank. The pilot reported tlu* photographer reached the bank.

The authorities owing to the possibility .of further collapses, havte sought reinforcements from Crenoble.