TERRIFYING SPECTACLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 206, 28 February 1914, Page 3

TERRIFYING SPECTACLE.

JAPANESE DISASTER. j volcaxk: eruptions and a TIDAL WAYii London, January 14. According to the latest telegram (says , n Keuter message from Kagoshima) it appeal's that on the first "gn.» of the eruption on Sunday morning many of the inhabitants of the island lied terrorstriken to tiie mainland, and the increasing violence and frequency of the volcanic outbursts were such that 10011 the inhabitants of Kagoshima were ordered to leave the city, and the troops were called out in readiness to deal with whatev r emergencies might arise. The city was beiig shaken by earfheuakes at intervals of only three or live minutes, and a refugee, who has reached Nagasaki, says that from Sunday morning to 10 o'clock 011 Monday, when lie left, there -had been over 201) shocks in Kagoshima. He says that when the eruption began, first of all enormous columns of smoke and Haines hurst from several parts of the mountain side and soon enveloped the whole inland. Forty minutes later an eruption began from the summit. The house* on the east side of the island were the first to catch lire, and the flumes spread furiously. The rrmaining inhabitants now throngjtA the beach, and the police of Kagofthima, commandeering a number of lighters lying in the bay, proceeded lo the island to take the refugees oil'. The heat •from the volcano was intense, and could be felt even in Kagoshima City, where, too, the sky was darkened by the smoke from the volcano and the burning fori ests and buildings. As seen from the | mainland, the island enveloped in (lames, the brilliance of which was constantly b"ing enhanced by the eruptions from the crater, presented a most magnificent .spectacle. By this time, however. the inhabitants of Kagoshima were also fleeing in terror, believing that the.ir own homes were about to share the fate of those on the island. According to official advices received at Kagoshima, adds Renter, a tidal wave added its terrors to the wtuation: hundreds of houses were destroyed or damaged. and many of the inhabitants were killed or injured. The authorities', however, do not believe, that the death-roll will prove very serious, except in the island.

Ileports from other sources show that seismic disturbances were felt over the whole of ICviisliyu province throughout Sunday and Monday, and the lily 0 f Nagasaki itself, a hundred mi.es from Sakura siiima, was yesterday covered with a line deposit of volcanic ash.