Death Roll Mounts

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 915, 7 March 1930, Page 9

Death Roll Mounts

SOUTHERN FRANCE STRICKEN 700 Dead; Thousands Homeless TERRIBLE SCENES AMID RUINS TERRLBIjK stories of death and chaos in the track of the heavy floods continue to be broadcast from the stricken areas of Southern France. Thousands are homeless and tvorkless, while the death-roll is now estimated to have reached the appalling total of 700. Reports of individual happenings indicate that the terrii e taken unawares. They drowned in scores or were buriec. in the ruins of falling houses.

United P. A.—By Telegraph- Copyright Reed. 10 a.m. PARIS, Wednesday. The flood devastation continues throughout the south-west of France. It is estimated that 700 are dead. A family of seven was found dead beneath the ruins of a home. A peasant seeing his house collapse, whipped out a revolver and committed suicide before the horrified spectators could prevent him. Husband and wife were clinging to the branches of a tree, when their strength failed and they dropped into the flood. TROOFS TO RESCUE The population is high in its praises of the Senegalese soldiers, who carried out magnificent, rescuing work, some remaining for thirty-six hours in the chilly waters. Two German youths are credited with saving mor« than 100 persons. A group of cavalrymen set out to the rescue of screaming children who were marooned on a diminishing.island. It met disaster, three horses and their riders being drowned. BURIED IN RUINS One hundred and fifty lives were lost at Montauban, 12 at Reynes and three each at St. Antonin and Albias. Scores of others are known to have been buried beneath the ruins of buildings or drowned. The waters are now receding and the scene is one of utter desolation and destruction. It stretches along 120 miles of rich country 30 to 40 miles wfde and embracing more than 100 important communities. Troops are feeding and sheltering thousands of people. Women are weeping and men are cursing the fate that has destroyed their life-work. Rescue operations are not merely a matter of boats and rafts. They are as perilous as life-saving in rough seas, for the floods in many places are rot placid lakes, but raging torrents. HOUSES TORN DOWN One rescuer was drowned after having saved at least 100 people. The Mayor of Moissac, where the dam burst, said it was a terrible sight when dawn broke. A whole row of houses had been torii down and many poor souls were trapped in bed and buried under the ruins of their homes. Their dreadful cries had been heard throughout the night, but everyone was helpless in the darkness. “WORST CATASTROPHE” An area of 10,000 square miles in Southern France is flooded. It is the worst catastrophe of the kind in the history of the country. However, there are now indications that the floods have reached the maximum point. A survey of the damage reveals the fact that it is even greater than was feared. At present it can only be vaguely approximated, but material losses are already estimated at many millions of pounds. Fourteen departments have been wholly or partly devastated. The destructive character of the floods is sweeping and dramatic. All telegraphic and telephonic communications have been severed, arteriai roads have been destroyed, hundreds of factories and power stations and

thousands of farms has been ruined, dwelling houses have collapsed and many bridges have been swept away. An order for 70 coffins has been received at Toulouse from the Prefect of Tarn et Garonne. SURVEY BY AIRMEN Airmen are surveying the devastated area. They report that more buildings have collapsed in the Tarn Valley and at Reynes, which is almost totally destroyed. They also report 14 more deaths. The members of the fire brigade from Toulouse rescued 22 persons who for 48 hours had been precariously clinging to root's or taken refuge in trees. Sixty-four people were rescued in one place and 17 in another. Nearly all the district of Iss has been under water for two days. The Toulouse correspondent of the "Daily Mail” states that at least 10,000 people are now homeless as a result of the floods, which are subsiding gradually. Moutauban presents a scene of heartrending desolation. In the lowlying streets near the river the houses have be«n swept away and other buildings are crumbling and crashing down almost every minute. The damage to factories in the Tarn department alone is estimated at more than £1,000,000. INDUSTRIES DESTROYED At Castres 2,000 people have been thrown out of work and there is little prospect of fresh employment for them. Important woollen and leather factories have been destroyed in other districts, the damage totalling at least £500,000. The members of the Chamber of Deputies were hurriedly convened for a conference today. They decided to institute an immediate inquiry into the disaster. The urgency of relief measures prompted the Chamber to pass a credit of £250,000. The story is told of a woman who was trying to save her paralysed father when she was swept away and drowned. Her husband rescued the Invalid. KING’S SYMPATHY TELEGRAM TO FRENCH PRESIDENT British Official Wireless Reed. 1 p.m. RUGBY, Thursday. The King has sent the following telegram to the French President, M. Doumergue: “I have learned with the deepest concern of the disastrous inundations which have desolated such wide areas in the south and south-west of France, and hasten to express to you, Monsieur le President, my profound sympathy with the victims and particularly with those who have suffered be reavement through the deplorable loss of life which this calamity has caused.” The British Ambassador in Paris has also conveyed the deep sympathy of the British Government to the French Government.