DISASTROUS CLOUD-BURST

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 80, 25 September 1911, Page 5

DISASTROUS CLOUD-BURST

FOLLOWED BY AYALAXCIIE.

IX THE VICINITY OF VESUVIUS.

AX APPALLING SIGHT.

TOWNS AND DISTRICTS EXGULFED.

GREAT LOSS OF LIFE AND

PROPERTY

By Cable —Press Association—Copyright Received 24, 5.5 p.m.

Rome, September 23. A cloud burst did incalculable damage in the neighborhood of Vesuvius. The town of Resina was engulfed, the mud reaching the first floors.

An impetuous mountain side torrent, Itearing huge boulders, shattered the houses to which women and children had been transferred for safety.

It was an appalling sight. No effort was made to escape. Many bodies were swept seaward. Twenty were recovered. Several palaces of the Neapolitan nobility at Terro del Greco collapsed, burying their occupants. The disaster is popularly attributed to the failure of the miracle of blood at St. Januarius. '

The hurricane lasted 24 hours, and still continues. Details are lacking, owing to the interruption in communications. v ■

Huge deposits of" volcanic ashes on the slopes of Vesuvius were washed into the raging torrents, despite the vast concrete constructions, and avalanches began the devastation. In their descent the avalanches submerged cultivated fields, uprooted trees, deluged the low-lying villages, particularly Terro del Greco, where the torrent reached the second floors, and washed away the railway line. jOther villages were buried by the slough to a depth of six feet. Widespread darkness made matters worse.

Scores of houses collapsed. In many cases the terrified inhabitants were unable to escape before the cottages were engulfed or battered by giant boulders, carried from the mountain sides, together with trees and carcases of animals.

Twenty corpses were recovered belonging to two families. Hundreds of villages are still cut off, and the inhabitants in danger of perishing.

Naples has sent soldiers and firemen to the rescue. The rescue parties will find it difficult to reach the centre of the disaster.

Great damage was caused by floods. In Naples trains were stopped by the cloud burst, also at Vol terra and Leghorn.

Many workmen in Rome were in danger of drowning by the sudden flooding of the basements. Water to the depth of three to four feet flooded the streets.