TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 311, 30 December 1908, Page 2

TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKE.

SICILY DEVASTATED. MK.SSL\A IX IIUIXS. SWEPT BY TIDAL WAVE. | PKOJ'LK PAN I C-.STIUCKEX. THUUSANDS KEI'OHTED KILLED. lteceived 211, 11.115 p.m. Kume, December 21). ! Two-thirds of .Mussina Ims been de-1 stroyed, and thousands arc reported to luive been killed. Alueh pillaging fallowed. Hundreds of bouses collapsed. The captain of the frigate I'ussino was buried in the ruins.

All the warships at Naples have been ordered to Messina with relief.

King Eunnanuel is proceeding to the ieeue.

I'AiUiMvt damage has also been do.ie at Jj.ignara, t«ioia, l'alwm «uid otiier town*, where residents are encamp] ig in the lields.

The shock was of very long duration and of frightful intensity, and it is feared will prove a repetition oi the disaster of IUO3.

A tidal wave over-ran most of Messina, leaving a layer of mud, leaving it very difficult to extricate tiic injured. Fires occurred owing to a gas explosion.

It is reported that Foro and Ganzini, suburbs of Messina, have disappeared.

Violent shocks occurred between half-past five und six o'clock ia the morning at Catanzaro, Reggio and Dicalabriu. The terrified inhabitants, half* clothed, aroused from their sleep, poured into the streets, where rain was falling.

The prisoners in the gaols became panic-stricken and smashed tile doors and windows until soldiers were summoned and restored order. Terrible scenes were witnessed at Catania, where the patients were seized witli panic.

[By some oversight the first announcement of the nature of the disaster was not sent to ns, but sufficient is apparent in the above message to show that Sicily lias again been overtaken by a terrible visitation.]