EARTHQUAKE HORRORS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15821, 19 January 1915, Page 8

EARTHQUAKE HORRORS.

MOUNTAIN RENT IN TWO.

SURVIVORS LOSE REASON.

FIGHTING FOR FOOD.

ENTOMBED SCHOOLGIRLS.

VAIN EFFORTS AT RESCUE.

By Telegraph.— Association —Copyright. (Received January 19, 1 a.m.) Rome, January ISEarthquake shocks Lave continued. Since the disaster, 185 ha.ve been registered. The earthquake rent Mount Pizzodeta, 6000 ft high, in two. The gap can be seen for miles around.

Sixty towns were destroyed in half a minute. Of 500 people taken from the ruins of Avezzano, half have since died. Many survivors have lost their reason, and wander about the ruins calling the names of loved ones.

Fifty thousand soldiers are engaged in rescue work in the district, with small result. Terrified refugees are huddled under hastilyconstructed shelters along the roads and in caves on the hillsides frightful scenes were witnessed.

When the first cart of food arrived at Sora, the crowd fought until the cart was empty. Sora was, destroyed, but the loss of life was small, because the townspeople arc early risers, being mostly agriculturists-

A priest was conducting a funeral service over a child at Caseilliri, with 20 children kneeling round the coffin, when suddenly the earth shook, and with a deafening crash the church collapsed, crushing the congregation, including the children, beneath the ruins. A sergeant of carbineers at Avezzano, hearing moans from the ruin, ordered a hole to be excavated. The men lowered him head downwards in the hole, where he worked until he released a girl whose body was entangled in the beams of the cellar. Holding the girl by the waist, the men hoisted both into safety. All attempts to rescue the 140 schoolgirls buried under the ruins of the Girls' College at Avezzano have thus far failed.