DISASTROUS FLOODS IN SOUTHERN STATES.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 March 1929, Page 8

DISASTROUS FLOODS IN SOUTHERN STATES.

HELP MUST COME SOON FOE PEOPLE IN PERIL PLANES DROPPING BREAD. CONTINUOUS RAINS AND SWOLLEN RIVERS. Received Sunday 7.0 p.m. NEW YORK, March 15. News from Troy, Alabama, states that 4000 persons, constituting the entire population of of Troy, arc marooned and facing possible death. They are awaiting rescue from the rapidly rising waters. A telephone linesman who worked his way to within half a mile of Elba reported that all the smaller homes •were under water, which had reached the roofs of the taller buildings. These were black with people. Ho could hear the screams of the women and children as the waves came over the roofs of the buildings. People clung to the housetops and to upper branches of tall trees or floated on pieces of wreckage awaiting aid. Five ’planes of the National Guard and numerous motor row-boats are endeavouring to roach them.

Aeroplanes flying over the flooded areas report that rescue work is proceeding with all possible speed. In some sections, boats have been able to reach the victims on the house-tops. Aeroplanes are also dropping bread for the survivors.

Last reports from Elba indicate that the waters are rapidly rising again, after a slight drop. Driving rainfall continues.

Unconfirmed reports from Ozark iudicated that rescue workers reported that over .150 have been drowned already and hundreds of others are in immediate danger at Elba.

Army Corps Aids Relief MOTOR BOAT FOECED BACK BY RAGING TORRENTS. ‘ Received Sunday 7.0 p.m. NEW YORK March 15. The peril of the marooned inhabitants is increasing. Further reports arc to hand of tho disastrous work of tho. water coming in from scattered points. President Hoover has announced that the Army Corps commander at Atlanta has been instructed to aid in relief in the Alabama and Florida flood zones. One member of the rescue parties, in attempting to reach Elba, reported that he had gone within a short distance of the city in a motor boat but was forced back by racing torrents. He said the water had reached tho second floor of the Court house, on which 1500 are reported to have taken refuge. The water is 20 feet deep in the town. He stated many houses wore floating about, having been loosened from the foundations.

Castleberry, in Alabama -was ajmost totally destroyed by fire as tho climax of a flood which marooned the inhabitants. The disaster was reported by an. aviator who flew over the wreckage.

At present, throughout the entire firen onlv a few score ore known to have been rescued and the fate of the others is unknown due to thq disruption of communications and general chaos. Heavy rains are continuing, swelling the already flooded streams and rivers. The lied Cross is mobolising to aid the thousands of refugees, who will probably be forced to spend at least to-nigbt in unsafe positions, perching on trees and housetops, for only small boats are available, none of which can buck the currents.

Illinois also is suffering. The town of Freeport is being driven to extreme measures, a funeral being bold to-dav from boats between the church and the cemetery. Outbreak of Measles Among Elba Refugees Received Monday. 2 a.vn. ISTEW YORK, March 16. Reports, from Montgomery _ state that with the known dead totalling Id, uprocedented torrents which raged sea ward between Alabama's two watersheds to-night were a handicap to relief fg'cn.-ies. which concentrated their effort s' in aiding approximately 20,000 persons affected by floods.waters. Clear weather however, was of aid to rescue workers, who had helped thousands to high ground during the few hours it lasted, ~ . ~ It was estimated the fatalities would number scores, while property loss m the form of buildings .household goods and livestock is so groat that no esti mate can be made. The greatest emergency appeared to exist in the neighbourhood of Elba ane Geneva, but many other towns in the same valley were likewise flooded and in great need of food and medical supplies. Elba is reported flooded to a depth of 25 feet in the main streets of the city, which has been practically evacuated, ns also has been General. Returning aviators and newspaper correspondents told of the desperate conditions existing is there two places. The sanitary position is dangerous and there has been an outbreak of measles among the refuges’ children. The town of Brewton was inundated by two flood waves. Martial law has been declared ami residents are depending upon food set by airplanes. Carvillc, in Florida, which is flooded by the Chictawhatche river, is also in a bad wav. Two-hundred there were rescued bv motorboats.