Foreigners leave in droves

Press, 3 August 1976, Page 8

Foreigners leave in droves

I NZPA-Reuter Peking The evacuation of dependants from foreign embassies in Peking was in full flow yesterday, after Chinese warnings that a severe earthquake might strike Peking soon.

Most embassies have either evacuated women r.nd children or are planning to do so. Japanese, Americans, and Indians were among the latest to leave. The New Zealand Ambassador (Mr Richard Atkins) said yesterday that several members of his Embassy’s staff were being evacuated. Five planned to leave as soon as possible. A commercial secretary and his family had already gone. A special Japanese plane left for Tokyo with 112 Japanese mothers, children, and non-essential diplomatic staff. •

Japanese sources said that six Japanese technicians who survived last week’s big earthquake in Tangshan were in a stable condition in hospital. Three of their colleagues died in the earthquake. A spokesman for the United States Liaison Office, an embassy in all but name, said 15 American women and children had left for Tokyo. A further 15 dependents were to leave as soon as possible. The American community spent last night sleeping on the ground floor of the misision near open windows and I doors. Cassette television ■ programmes and Walt Disney films have provided I entertainment.

An Indian Embassy spokesman sa:i all their women and children left ■ yesterday for Canton. Those I remaining were sleeping ini Chinese supplied tents in the 1 Embassy grounds. French Embassy sources! said only two families with children had been evacuated, but diplomats were considering whether more should leave. They said seme might leave today on a scheduled Air France flight to Tokyo. The West German Embassy is evacuating women and children and most of its staff. A caretaker staff will remain to keep the Embassy open. Soviet sources said the Russians in Peking were sleeping in tents in the spacious grounds of their big walled Embassy, but there had been no special evacuation.