FIJI NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 7983, 6 October 1886, Page 5

FIJI NEWS.

VOLCANIC DISTUEBANCES. £Pbb Press Association.] AUCKLAND, Oct. 5. The s.s. Arawata arrived this morning from Fiji. She reports that the Island of Miafu, in the Tonga group, has burst out as an active volcano. Her dates are:— Tarika, Sept. 30. The French war vessel Deeres, which came into Levnka on Sunday, reports that while on the highway from Samoa to Tonga they passed close to the island of Ninafian, which was in a terrific state of eruption. They did not try to land to see if any of the inhabitants remained alive. On reaching Tonga they reported the matter "to the Tonga Government, which at once chartered the's.s. Suva to proceed to the scene of the disaster. On arriving there. Captain Dobb found about three-parts of the island gone, and from a lake in the centre of the island a mountain 200 ft high thrown up. The eruption commenced with a very heavy thunderstorm, which frightened the Natives and made them all run to one end of the island. Fortunately it was the only safe place in the island. All the other, villages were destroyed, as would also have been the inhabitants had they remained in their own villages. No lives were lost. The island was covered with volcanic sand and dust, similar to that of Tarawera, to a depth of from two to twenty feet. The Suva connects with the Arawata next trip, to take visitors to the eruption. The Premier had been there a few weeks ago, when several earthquakes were experienced.