FRENCH FLOODS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 71, 7 March 1930, Page 5

FRENCH FLOODS

DEVASTATION CONTINUES

DEATH ROLL NOW 700.

MANY WONDERFUL RESCUES.

[United Frew Aaeoclation—By Cable— Copyright.!

(Received 7, 11.10 a.m.) Paris, March 6. The flood devastation continues throughout the south-west. It is estimated that 700 are dead. A family of seven was found dead beneath the ruins of their home. A peasant, seeing his house collapse, whipped out a revolver and committed suicide before the horrified spectators could prevent him. A husband and wife were clinging to branches together when their strength failed and they dropped into the flood. ±he population eulogise the Sengalese soldiers’ magnificent rescue work, some remaining 36 hours in the chilly waters. Two German youths are credited with saving more than 100 people. A group of cavalrymen set out to rescue screaming children who were marooned on a diminishing island, but met disaster, three horses and their riders being drowned.

The south of France and the north of Spain have had periodical visitations of disastrous floods. In Navarre, on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees, in 1787, 2000 persons lost their lives by the torrents from the mountains. In 1875 a laige part of Toulouse was destroyed by the rising of the river Garonne and about 1000 lives and much property were lost. In 1907 there were again disastrous floods in the south of France which occasioned enormous losses. The town of Montauban, which is reported to have suffered the most in the present inundation, is the capital of the department of Tarn-et-Garcnne and is situated on the rived Tarn near where the rivers Tescu and Aveyron, together with the Tarn, junction with the river Garonne. Montauban has considerable trade and manufactures and it contains a faculty of Protes. tant theology. It was founded in 1144 on the site of the Roman Mons Albanus. The town of Moissac, which has also been submerged, is on the banks of the Tarn about 15 miles below Montauban. The country around is mostly a low plateau.

KING GEORGE'S MESSAGE. [British Official Wireless.] (Received 7, 12.30 p.m., Rugby, March 6. His Majesty the King has sent the following telegram to the French President: “I have learned with deepest concern of the disastrous inundations which have desolated such wide areas in the south and south-west of France and hasten to express to you, M. le President, my profound sympathy with the victims and particularly with those who have suffered bereavement through the deplorable loss of life which this calamity has caused.”

The British Ambassador in Paris has also conveyed the deep sympathy of tho British Government to the French Government.

See page 3 for earlier cable.