The Phillipine Islands.

Manawatu Herald, 28 August 1897, Page 3

The Phillipine Islands.

MayoD, a volcano in the Philipine Islands, broke out in serious eruption on 6th June, throwing up lava accompanied by showers of sand and ashes, which overwhelmed five villages. Further eruptions occurred on 24th and 26th June, and wrought widespread devastation. The fallen ashes have rendered worthless large stretches of land which yielded 70,000 dollars annually. It is estimated that 400 persons perished. Io one village alone the number buried leached 180. The Phillipine Islands comprise a vast aggregate of over 2000 islands of all sizes, ranging from mere rocks and reefs to Luzon and Mindanao. The total area is 116,000 square miles, and the population ranges from seven millions to nine millions. The archipelago is mountainous and volcanic. Two main ridges ramify through the group and comprise several volcanoes, the highest peak being Apo in Mindano and is 10,400 feet high. The underground forces are still active, and reveal themselves by tremendous eruptions, and especially by earthquakes, which are almost continuous. Manilla was n?arly destroyed by the earthquake of 1868. Farther details of the eruption of the volcano May on, in the Philippine Islands, have been received. So violent was the eruption that the lava reached the sea, 20 mile 3 from the crater. In the village of Baccay many houses were buried under avalanches of ashes and sand. In the important town of Tobaco a large fissure opened, whilst total darkness prevailed. The inhabitants were obliged to hermetically seal their doors and windows. The roads from Legaspi have been destroyed, together with the hamlets of San Antonio and San Isidoro, belonging to the town of Libog, who^e inhabitants took refuge in the mount tins, 116 of them being buried in the ruins. AU the hemp plantations, the fields under cultivation*, and the cUtle were destroyed. The hamlets of Santo Nifo, San Bogne and Misericordia were annihilated, together with 200 inhabitants, whose houses were completely buried. At night the aspect of the burning mountain is awful. The crater is oie burning mass, whilst the flames and enormous red hot stones are shot high into the air. Showers ol a=ines and gand have reached Neuva Caceraa, 50 miles away.