FEARFUL FLOODS IN MEXICO.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2516, 25 August 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

FEARFUL FLOODS IN MEXICO.

Over Two Thousand Persons Perish. A special from tho city of Mexico in a San Francisco paper says:—"The table lands between hero and Zacatecas have been visited by unprecedented rains. Every mountain rivulet along the central railway for more than 200 miles has been converted into a destructive torrent, and the valleys preseDt the appearance of lakeß. Many citieß and towns have been inundated, and Leon and Silao have been partially destroyed. About 325 houses have been destroyed. The station buildings are occupied by homeless people unable to obtain anything to eat except water melons and fruit found floating on the water. The floods have been more destructive in Leon than Silao. On Monday, tho 18th, the river broke over the dykes, and notwithstanding all efforts to check it, it made rapid headway and finally flooded the city. As tho rain fell the river roHe rapidly, flowing into the town gradually and wearing away the foundations of buildings, which began to fall. Monday night brought to the city one of the most terrible scenes ever witnessed in any country. The people, believing themselves secure, went to bed in those parts of tho town where the water had not found its way. The steady downfall of rain, with the extensive watorshed of the outlying country, increased the flow of the river, and rapidly extended its channel until over half of Le«n was under water. The houses tumbled in rapidly, having been worn away by the water, and the loss of life commenced. This is unparalleled in the history of the great inundations of modern times, and as the buildings fell the unfortunate sleepers were either crushed to death or drowned, One whole night of terror followed.

Men, women, and children fled to the streets in their nightclotbes, notno to find shelter on higher ground, others to be swept away by the floods. All Tuesday and Tuesday night it poured, until Wednesday morning' saw a lake surrounding the city, undiminished in size, with a scendy rain disturbing its surface. It is estimated that 700 person* perished. There is a strong stench from the heaps of rubbish that at once formed here, and one is led to believe that there must be bodies buried tinder them. Thero nre also bodies still floating in tho water. One hundred and eleven bodies have been recovered without moving any ruins of the houses wherein are supposed to be hundreds of bodies buried. The number of houses destroyed is estimated at 2000 and the loss at £9,000,000. Many other towns havs beeu badly damaged, but the loss of life is only reported from Silao and Leon. The last reports from Leon are heart-rending. The whole population is working in the ruins of the fallen houses. Nearly everybody lost relatives or friends, and those who have not have seen their earthly possessions disappear in a night. The estimate of the loss of life and property given is the smallest reported, and is certainly within the bounds of truth. A despatch from El Paso, Tex., says :—"lnformation received from the flooded districts in Mexico says 1500 lives were lost by tho inundation, and 1000 bodies have been recovered. Loon is a city of 10,000 inhabitants, and a large part of it is in j ruins. The Mexican collector of customs ! at Parso del Norto received an offi ;ial j despatch stating that 100 miles of the ] Mexican Central railroad was im: asaable, i and it will be 10 days bef.ire m ills can get ; through and 20 days before freight; can lie j moved. ! A later roport states that in some districts bodies are floating about on the waters as thickly as driftwood. The effluvium is described as frightful, and pervades tha oountry for a great distance. Funds are being raised in all parts of Mexico for tho relief of tho homeless survivors. The El Paso agent of the Mexican Central Railway has been informed that in two days the lino will be in such a condition that passengers will be able to traverse tho flooded area with one transfer.