THE ITALIAN EARTHQUAKE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 27 January 1909, Page 3

THE ITALIAN EARTHQUAKE.

[Pbes3 Association.— CopyaiOHT] •184 CENTRES AFFECTED. A POPULATION OF A MILLION. (Receved Jan. 27, 9.40 a.m.) ROME. Tuesday' It is officially ascertained that the earthquakes affected 184 Calabrian and Sicilian towns and villages, with a; population of 1,000,000. MR STEVENSON'S PREDICTIONS. FEBRUARYSHOCKS. AUCKLAND, Tuesday. The cabled news of the recurrence of earthquakes in Southern Italy com- j pletely bears out the predictions of Mr J. T. Stevenson, F.R.S.A., of Auckland, that' between January 20 and January 25 further shocks would occur. Mr Stevenson specially mentioned Italy and Mesina as the locality. He also predicted a great volcanic upheaval at Savaii during the pediod named, and a day or two ago news was cabled from Manlia of the great eruption of Abayon, on the island of Luzon. Interviewe'd tonight, Mr Stevenson said that he was fully expecting to hear that the Savaii volcano is iu a great state of activity at about the present time. Since his predictions, also, there had been a great earthquake in Smyrna, which is practically in the same latitude as Italy. This also occurred within the date he gave. Asked if he thought the earthquakes now reported were likely to be the last, Mr Stevenson said : — "There will be more, but- they aro not likely to be so heavy. I think there will be another period of earthquake shocks in February, commencing, roughly speaking, about February 17, and ending about February 23. I think Italy will again be affected then, .though in the particular district of Reggio of course the main damage lias already been done. Otherwise, I believe the shocks will be about equivalent in intensity to these latest." Mr Stevenson added that he did not think Auckland or New Zealand would be affected to any great extent by the earthquakes - he predicts for next month, though slight shocks might be felt here. Possibly an intermediate period might occur in the first week of February, when the shocks might extend to Northern Italy, as well as to Mesina.