NATIONAL TRAGEDY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 4 May 1928, Page 5

NATIONAL TRAGEDY

BULGARIA STRICKEN. COUNTRY’S WORST DISASTER APPALLING SCENES WITNESSED. (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH—COPYRIGHT.) (AUSTRALIAN PRESS ASSOCIATIONUNITED SERVICE.) SOFIA, May 2. A terrific cyclone, accompanied, by a torrential downpour, swept northern Bulgaria. The population, unnerved by Ithe earthquakes!, became panicstricken. Seventy were injured. « LONDON, May 2. The special correspondent oi the “Daily Express,” which is the first British correspondent, to arrive at Sofia, states that- terrible devastation and distress still reigns at Philippololis ami other centres. He describes, it as easily the worst calamity that has befallen the country. In all, four hundred thousand are homeless, sheltering in gardens in the centre of the city and open fields on the outskirts, sleeping in goods trucks. Seven children were born in the fields last night. Earth tremors continued up to tonight. The Prime Minister, M. Lapclieff, was overjoyed to see the British correspondent in' order that the world would know, for the first time the real magnitude of the national tragedy. The correspondent describes a motor journey of 250 miles through central south-eastern Bulgaria. Everywhere there was the same story; prosperous villages are unrecognisable, mass of ruins; injured people still suffering incredible agonies; .roadway impassable for many miles owing to floods; great lakes suddenly formed swamping the ruins. The most, tragic of all is Philippololis. Entire streets have been wiped out, over 4500 buildings demolished, 8,000 partly demolished 3,000 uninhabitable. Others are erect, though, split in twain. Elsewhere whole sides have been curiously lifted away. Not an hour of the day passes without. a fresh structure collapsing with a roar. Bain is still falling. All civil functionaries have established offices under canvas. The Supreme Criminal Courts are working in tents, hospitals are in tents, while dressing stations and dispensaries flying the Bed Cross flag have been established at every street corner. There is a grave scarcity of doctors and nurses adding to the horror. Although the neighbouing countries promised to rush supplies, they are late in arriving. Bulgaria calls to the world for aid.