’QUAKE DISASTER

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 July 1930, Page 7

’QUAKE DISASTER

ENORMOUS DEATH ROLL

I NAPLES SUFFERS HEAVILY [BY CABLE—PRESS ASSN.—COPYRIGHT.] ROME, July 24. The earthquake was accompanied by a terrific heat wave throughout Southern Italy. In Naples there were relatively few casualties, though the poorer buildings suffered badly. Tens of thousands of. terror-stricken citizens of the city of Naples gathered on the quay sides, expecting an eruption from Mount Vesuvius.

There have been many pathetic incidents. They include the case of a man in Naples being struck dumb owing to the shock of seeing his aged mother and his small daughter beingcrushed by a falling ceiling. The earthquake was the worst in living memory at Naples, though not comparable with the Messina quake in December 1908. Houses collapsed in all parts of Naples. The streets were immediately alive with terrified people, seeking for-open spaces or for the churches, where they implored the clergy to bring out the miraculous images. The public fear was increased by several short circuits in the electric supply system, plunging the city in darkness. Moreover, the streets were quickly filled with vehicles of every description, dashing wildly hither and thither, some pedestrians being run over in the general stampede. Many pathetic incidents were recorded. Details of the disaster were slow in reaching Rome, owing to the disruption in the communication. .There- were five more violent shakes at* Melfi in the afternoon, causing a further loss of life. The town lies at the foot of a volcano, Vultur, which has been extinct for thousands of years. There is a report that the volcano is now giving signs of activity, and.it has added to the general terror, especially as it is remembered that Melfi was destroyed by a terrible earthquake in the year 1851. when thousands of people were killed. - At Potenza, the historic palace of the Emperor Frederick the Second collapsed, and a number of persons were buried in its ruins.

There were terrible scenes at Riouero, where many children in an infant asylum were injured. One woman endeavoured to protect three children with her body, but all of them were killed. The refugees from Melfi tell tragic stories. The people behaved as though they were under the belief that the end of the world had come.

THE POPE’S EFFORTS.

ROME, July 24.

The Pope is active in preparing relief. He has also telegraphed an Apostolic blessing to the Bishop of Melfi. The Duchess of Aosta was early among the rescue workers, setting out from Naples immediately with a Red Cross train in the hope that her presence would reassure the frightened populace. Groups of aeroplanes have been ordered to explore and to report on the extent of the disaster to Signor Mussolini.

THOUSANDS BURIED ALIVE.

TERROR-STRICKEN PEASANTS.

LONDON, July 24

The British United Press correspondent, Mr Thomas Morgan, telegraphing from Benevento, puts a much more serious complexion on the disaster than the official accounts would indicate. He states that two thousand dead are being extricated from the ruins of the town of Villa-Nova-Albanese by soldiers, who rushed to Benevento. Hundreds of bodies have already been buried, and hundreds of others are awaiting interment, lying on stretchers covered, with clothes. From the ruins, terribly mangled bodies of Qld and young are still being extricated, having been crushed out of all recognition, and disembowelled. These are being buried as fast as the bodies are recovered. The injured are lying on stretchers, awaiting lorries to take them to Avellino. One peasant at Villa-Nova-Albanese told Mr Morgan: “There were three thousand in the town, and only two of us can be found now. They are all under the ruins.”

Mr Morgan says that Villa-Nova-Dcl-Battista, which is a suburb of Villa-Nova-Albanese, exists no more. The survivors are so demented that they cannot state to what family they belong. Ono septuagenarian -was found wildly mourning the loss of six grown children. His only other son lives in the United States.

In some cases the woftien. seemed to have died of terror, as there was no visible injury on their bodies. Mr Morgan says: As many of the victims were peasants who were surprised in their sleep and were unable to escape from collapsing, walls, the proper computation of the casualties is almost impossible until the wreckage is cleared. 1778 KILLED—4264 INJURED. . HURRICANE AT NAPLES. (Received July 25, 11 a.m.) ROME. July 24. Official: The dead.as the result of the eaithquake number 1778. injured 42G4, bouses completely _ destroyed 3188, partially destroyed 2757. Two hundred bodies have been recovered at. Melfi. Aeroplanes are speeding to Ihe devastated areas, and are directing the searchers. A terrific hurricane at Naples added to the terrors. Trees and cottages were blown down and gigantic waves pounded over the promenades.

ONE MILLION HOMELESS.

SEVERAL TOWNS DESTROYED.

(Recd. July 25, 1 p.m.) LONDON, July 24.

The British United Press correspondent at Benevento estimates, after a personal survey, that 1,000,000 people are homeless in the stricken area. The towns of Villanova, Albanese, Ariano and Montecalvo are completely destroyed, while Zuncoli and San Sossio have been evacuated by the entire surviving population. The towns of Lacedonia, Aguilonia and Bisasscia are almost completely destroyed, and hard-

ly a single inhabitant escaped injury. Perhaps the most curious fact is that, none was killed at. Candela, despite the fact that 90 per cent of the building are uninhabitable. Relief in the shape of tins of food and blankets is being brought in rapidly.

The search is continuing for bodies. Coffins are being hastily constructed from packing cases, the funerals being hurried on, as the town authorities fear an epidemic. The majority of the children at Melfi lost their parents. The whole population of the little hill town are living out of doors. EFFECT ON RIVERS. ROME, July 24. Two further earthquakes occurred to-day, not violent, but they caused many tottering houses to collapse. The rivers hate’ risen to flood height, though no rain has’ fallen.