AVALANCHE OF MUD

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 29 September 1926, Page 7

AVALANCHE OF MUD

Ps. SWEEPS MOUNTAIN SIDE.

DISASTER IN SWITZERLAND.

VILLAGES IN DANGER

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—CO ’CAUGHT LONDON, Sept. 27. The Daily Mail’s correspondent in Vevey reports that, with a roar like thunder, the mountain lakes overlooking the Rhone Valley near St. Maurice burst, and an avalanche or rocks and mud pushed the river half a mile further into the plain, sweeping away the railway bridge leading to the .Simplon tunnel. f A railway official, knowing the express was due at jany jnoment, rushed along the track waving a red flag. The train had a narrow escape from destruction. The 'driver pulled up in time, but before the train could be extricated an avalanche descended and the engine and several coaches were left' embedded many feet deep. Troops and firemen were' summoned and began feverishly felling trees in the hope of stemming the progress of the avalanche. Each barrier, however, as soon as erected toppled over like straw. _ . . The town of Laveyles Bams is seriously threatened, while the source oi the famous thermal springs is buried under twenty feet of mud. ■ A hundred yards of the Simplon line has been destroyed, and the .railway traffic is being diverted via' I.otschJ ■ be jf'is reported that several lives have f GENEVA, Sept. 27. Wide area of Switzerland are threat ened with disaster by floods in the Rhone Valley, particularly in the Can ton of Valais . ~ The threat -viaduet carrying the rail wav from Milan to Lausanne was dam. a <r<=d and traffic/on the Simplon line was diverted. ■ ■ , The town of Lavey was completely flooded, and the buildings at the famous thermal springs were destroyed. Fears axe expressed that the springs are damaged irretrievably. An expedition has been dispatched to help the people in the mountain village which has been without fight or water during,the past two days, the town of St. Maurice is threatened and troops and fire brigades have been called out. „ The River Rhone at one point completely changed its bed.