HUNDREDS DEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 173, 24 July 1930, Page 8

HUNDREDS DEAD.

ITALIAN CATASTROPHE

'Quake, Tidal Wave, Eruption

Of Vesuvius.

FEARFUL DEVASTATION.

(United P.A.—Electric Telegraph-Copyright

(Received 2.30 p;m:)

LONDON, July 23,

The "Daily Mail's" Naples corespondent reports that an ever-increas-ing death roll is following a series of 'v:; violent earthquakes, the latest occur- \ ring at three o'clock in the afterls noon. •' ♦ Ifc is officially estimated that 276 are dead and 542 injured in the provinces of Naples, Foggia, Benevento, Avelliiio, VPotenza, Campoba;sso, Matera and Ba'ri. - Details arc unobtainable owing to the destruction of communications, but ft' is reported that Villanova and Monte Calva, '-'i two towns in Avellino, have been V destroyed, 300 being killed in Monte Calva and 100 in Villanova. Several villages near Melfi are said to have been razed. Tho first shock at Naples lasted for nearly a minute. The inhabitaiiti yrushed in their night clothes into the : narrow streets, where many were in- . jured in the >/ush. When the electric >■' light failed the scene was lit only by : fitful flares from Vesuvius, which was active. • . ;

A tidal wave swamped the beaches, tearing vessels from their moorings! Four were killed and 22 injured by falling debris.

Two long violent explosions at'- tlie" rozzuoH sulphur springs, which are tW : safety valve of Vesuvius, preceded the 'quakes, the mud boiling like a geyser. '

Professor Mallandra, living in the Vesuvius observatory, reports that, the! disturbances were so violent that' ")the seismograph needles jumped off the ca"ds.

OFFICIAL REPORT.

EXAGGERATION DEPRECATED.

(Received 3 p.m.)

ROME, July 23. " . An official ' communique. . deprecate exaggeration of the catastrophe. > <g| The victims in all the provinces' are less than 200. -,'c '' ■ i Ten provinces are badly - Potenza is suffering the worst, hit there are many casualties in the provinca of Avellino, in which; the ; towns-f§|; of the Villanova and Monte Calva' Ha"ve been wiped out with; it is feared; heavy death roll. - - •'

BURIED ALIVE.

THOUSANDS REPORTED LOST

(Receiver's- p.m.) . V - LONDON, July 23. , 3 A telegram from Benevento states, that it is estimated 2000 inhabitants of .-.V Villanova and Albanege .were buried . ft-• in the debris. Three thousand were buried alive or were killed in. the Benevento Province. : :