AN EARTHQUAKE

Hokitika Guardian, 1 April 1931, Page 5

AN EARTHQUAKE

CITY OF MANAGUA DESTROYED

FORTY PERSONS DEAD

[United Press Association—By Electric Teiegrupn.—Copyright. J

(Received this day at f) a.m.) NEW YORK. March 31. A message from .Managua (Nicnr-

agu.t) slams a. terriiic earti.quake shook tin' City to-day rnu-ui.g great damage. tropical Radio (biiipany, Panama City, repoi ts Managua is destroyed, only a iew houses are standing anil

these arc burning. ll is renoric.l that forty ar,. dead, and the lire is spreading rapidly. DEAD OYER 100. NEW YORK, .March 31. Tropical Radio Station has been advised between 401) and 50u are dead at Managua a.s she result of the earthquake.

[Managua is a town of upivnrds of 20,(XK) inhabitants, situated on Lake Managua jn Nicaragua in Central America. j

FURTHER DETAILS

A DEVASTATING FIRE

(Received this dav at 1.30 p.m.) VANCOUVER, .March 31

Latest reports from Managua shimone storey resiliences were literally pulled apart, as the tremors jolted the City Avithout warning at 10.2 in the forenoon. A fire started immediately in the market centre, travelling westward and consuming a score of business blocks, and licking up collapsed bouses. Within an hour, secondary quakes came, none lasting more than a f<*iv seconds.

By -noon half of the City was in flames and there seemed no ivav ol stopping tin l fire jumping from one to another of the- lightly built houses. 1 ’raciorally all the- damage was doin' in the first six seconds. Seventy per cent, of tiie buildings in the City were brought doivn. and a great pall of dust arose, mingled ivitli smoko from the fires. DEATH ROLL 1000. /Received this dav at l .30 n.m A VANCOUVER, .March 31. When the lire start oil .Market Place was crowded with woim n and children. Thirty-live ivere burned to death there. The hotel Oponc, the largest in tiie city, ivns wrecked and the ivnter system disrupted. Useless water mains protruded through the smashed pavement.

Dead and injured were scattered in DmniPion street where no Avail remained standing 10 feet above the ground. Martial law was declared, and by throe o’clock this afternoon so mo semblance of order was restored. It is believed the death list is 500 to 800.

The Cathedral, on old structure of red sand stone and Presidential Palace ivere shaken to pieces. A later message states it is estimated upivnrds of a thousand were killed including many Americans and the injured are several thousands. British and American legations ivere destroyed, Government offices ivrecked. banks and departmental stores and buildings burned. Tbo streets ivere flooded ; United States Marines took charge.