Hunt for ’quake survivors

Press, 4 January 1980, Page 5

Hunt for ’quake survivors

NZPA-Reuter Angra do Heroismo (Azores) j Rescue workers scrambled through the ruins of Azores towns yesterday in a desper- ! ate search for survivors of the New Year’s Day eatth- | quake in which up to 52 ' people were reported killed , and thousands lost their homes. The island of Terceira. and particularly its capital of Angra do Heroismo, were the worst hit by the ’quake, which measured seven on 'the Richter scale and was I the strongest to shake the mid-Atlantic archipelago for 20 years. Official Portuguese figures put the death toll at 33. but United States Air Force officers stationed on Terceira and helping in the relief work reported to Wasitingto'n that at least 52 people had died and 400 were injured. A military spokesman told Reuters that on the neighbouring island of Sao Jorge at least four people were killed, 14 injured and some 4000 homeless.

Portuguese President (Mr Antonio Ramalho Eanes) flew in for a personal look at the damage on Terceira. which has the second biggest population, 90,000, in the Azores chain.

The Portuguese Government declared three days of national mourning for the. earthquake victims.

United States officials in Lisbon said the 1600 American servicemen at the Lajes base were assisting the injured and homeless.

The Americans had provided medical supplies, blood, mattresses and a power generator for the local hospital, the officials said. None of the United States servicemen or their families was killed.