CREEPING TERROR

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4675, 25 January 1945, Page 4

CREEPING TERROR

MOUNT PABICUTIN’S LAVA MEXICO’S LATEST VOLCANO NEW YORK. Two towns have been swallowed up and others are- threatened by the sea of lava which Paricutln, the volcano which appeared in Mexico in February of last year, has thrown up. A great ocean of lava stretching along a 25-mile front creeps on at the rate of 200 yards dally. In its immediate path are the towns of Zacan, San Francisco Parlban and Zirosto. From them many Inhabitants have already evacuated. Main roads leading from this region of creeping terror (some 200 miles from Mexico City) are crammed with caravans of natives fleeing to higher ground—fleeing from the terror —taking with them all the household goods and livestock they can manage. TERRIFYING INFERNO It is almost like the roads of Belgium and France four years ago when Hitler’s hordes were able to advance against their unprepared victims. Travellei-s from Paricutin Valley speak of terrific electrical storms, violent thunderclaps bursting overhead as volcanic explosions shake the earth below, of jagged forks of lightning that light up the molten lava' writhing down and forming a white cloud ot steam over the ever-crawling lava, increasing the odor of sulphur that hangs in the air. It is a picture Dore might have drawn of hell. Nothing can now be seen of the town of Paricutin except the towers and roof of the church, which is expected to collapse at any moment. CHURCH BURIED Parangaricutrio’s famous church, Our Lord of Miracles, has been buried also. Its five-foot thick walls have caved in, and only part of the church’s high roof is still visible. Eye-witnesses have described the gruesome scenes as the lava flowed into the church one night. Tombs inside were burst open. Desolate scenes have been painted of the ebbing life in the valley ahead of the lava flow. The villages are almost all deserted. The only sound at night is often the sobbing of some woman inside a dark adobe hut, the home she must soon leave. In one place a traveller who has reached Mexico City came upon a group, of Indians heating coffee over some lava. A donkey packed with household goods was standing near. Suddenly a great wave of lava swept over the animal and it disappeared in flames.