BULCAR TERROR

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 95, 23 April 1928, Page 7

BULCAR TERROR

NATION IN PANIC.

FEARFUL 'QUAKES.

Country Laid Waste; Countless

Loss Of Life.

IfBRVE-RACKED POPULACE.

(Ao»tralian Press Assn.—United Service.)

SOFIA, April 22

Details of the earthquakes which have occurred in the past few days gre now beginning' to emerge from the devastated areas in Bulgaria. They show that the main disturbance was the most terrible one of the kind in European memory.

There wore "><l more severe shocks on Friday, making 150 in three days. It is now definitely established that 120 people were killed and that 400 others were injured. Furthermore it is impossible try' calculate the number of people still lying beneath ruins.

The taking of a census is difficult as the terrified population of the various districts are scattered in all directions. Many have lost their reason and are wandering iji a demented state about the country.

The whole of the people of Bulgaria tre the victims of panic and are expecting the end of the world. Even in Solia the population spent Thursday night in the parks or fields and refused to return to their houses on Friday.

The historic city of Philippopolis has been laid waste just as it was in 1818. Entire streets of houses have collapsed, and by the crashing masonry the prinpical streets have been obliterated. The railway station is an unrecognisable mats of broken bricks and twisted rails.

There wad a terrible scene at the Public Hospital. Frantic patients fought to. reach the windows while the building was rocking and then threw themlelves to the ground. Many insane people rushed out into the streets ihouting hysterically.

The desolation is widespread. Fifteen towns, villages and hamlets have disappeared under masses of splintered debris. The earthquakes were accompanied by strange thunder benenth the earth and by rystling, whistling sounds in the nir.

People in the streets,' as they were rushing for safety, were struck down by bricks and cornices from large buildings. Fire broke out in Philippopolrs, and soon gigantic flames were devouring the ruins.

The earthquakes continued throughout Friday niprht at intervals of 15 minutes, sometimes swaying the earth and at other times taking the form of gharp shakes berleath the feet. A fresh building collapsed with each shock.

Public buildings, Schools, workshops, factories and railway stations crashed otnid a terrifying rumble, which gave way to shrieks of the wounded and dying. Panic-stricken people everywhere poured through the streets —sobbing human beings choking in the dust and smoke.

At Papazli, a few miles from Philippopolis, ten children were trapped in a burning school and burned to death. There was a terrible contrast at the village of Sotebelovo. There people escaped from their homes only to be menaced by swirling 'waters from the burst water-mains. 1

Port of the railway connecting Philippopolis with Sofia wai thrown up like a toy line and another portion sank to a depth of 2ft. panic broke out among the prisoners in the gaol at Zagora. They made .frantic attempts to escape.

All kinds of stranga phenomena accompanied tho latest disturbances and added to the horror. Huge chasms have appeared in fields and roads, and in som# cases they are 1 slowly closing again.

Many people are camping in motor cars, wagons and tents on open spaces. There are continual processions around the ruined outskirts of Philippopolis of people chanting expiatory psalms and calling on all to repent their sins.

King Boris, the Prime Minister, M. LiaptohefT, and members of the Cabinet arc aiding in the relief work, which is greatly hampered by the general disorganisation of traffic.

Tho Paris-Constantinople and the Siiuplon express train* cannot be run, and there is a danger <)( famine in many districts which were short of food before the shocks.

Superstitious people are blaming the Government, saying it challenged the Divine wrath by holding Parliamentary sessions on Good Friday. A third series of shocks occurred on Friday night. These especially affected Huskovo, a town 44 miles from Philippopolis, which had largely escaped in the former shocks. Tremors continued ill night and numerous houses were damaged. The residents were already camping out and escaped.