Scientist’s link with ’quake forecaster

Press, 28 November 1980, Page 20

Scientist’s link with ’quake forecaster

By

KEN COATES

in London

A Buckinghamshire woman who claims to possess an uncanny ability to predict and sense earthquakes, wonders whether a New Zealand scientist, Dr J. H. Latter, of the Geophysical Division of the D.S.LR-, recalls a forecast she made last year of the ' disastrous Italian earthquake. Mrs Mary Weare, aged 72, of Gerards Cross, who describes herself as a widow with an interest in astronomy and seismology, said that she wrote to Dr Latter, with whom she had had a rapport for years, on August 10,1970. She said that she forecast a terrible tragedy in Italy and warned that it would be so great that people should be moved away. “I used to telephone Dr Latter when he was working in Edinburgh because he was interested in my ability,” she said. “In view of what has happened, and I said it would be within 18 months, I wonder whether he recalls getting my letter.” Mrs Weare said that she became aware of her powers some years ago. She wrote'to the geophysical station at Edinburgh asking for confirmation of a violent earthquake deep under the Indian Ocean. “Dr Latter, who was there at the time, wrote back and said that I must have been mistaken, but about a month later he wrote to say that I had Indeed been right. He said that I must have a good set-up here, and I was well vetted.” Mrs Weare said that Dr Latter invited her to telephone him whenever she felt there was to be ano-

ther earthquake anywhere in the world, and this she did- ... “He was such a idea man and even came to my house three years ago where we had our photograph taken,” she said. during the Italian earthquake she knew it was going on, Mrs Weare said. "I felt a tremendous vibration. Years ago, when we took a steamer from Tower Bridge to Southend, we looked down at the throbbing engines below decks.■ It was a tremendous vibration, I just like that,” she said. 1 . “I know that Dr Latter will be very interested,” she said. “There will be more trouble in Italy, and the toe and heel of the country could very well be , submerged.” When? "Any time.' Mrs Weare said that she could not explain her extraordinary powers, except that she was bom on December 29, 1908, at the time of a severe earthquake in Messina, -Sicily. Dr Latter, who now lives in Wellington, said that he remembered Mrs Weare’s prediction of an earthquake in Italy. t “I remember getting her letter, but her predictions do not Include specifies such as dates, time, and places. They are therefore not of great value scientifically, or from the point of view of helping victims,” said Dr Latter. However, be is convinced that Mrs Weare has "some psychic ability, more to the precognition field.” "I could say that there will be a disaster to Greece, and there will be, sooner or later,” said Dr Latter.