JAPAN'S DIRE CALAMITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18495, 4 September 1923, Page 7

JAPAN'S DIRE CALAMITY.

APPALLING MAGNITUDE. • FIFVFN < CITIES STSICKEN. Hi I H I" SS ft I I I ifal n\ H Iff U I n m 8* M TOKIO REPORTED TO BE IN RUINS. FIFTY MILES AROUND LAID WASTE. APPEAL FOR FOREIGU AID ISSUED. The latest reports of the earthquake in Japan reveal a disaster of appalling magnitude, exceeding all previous calamities in Japanese history. Not only have Tokio and Yokohama been laid waste by earthv; quake and fire, but nine other cities and towns are reported to have been partially or totally destroyed.

The loss of life is, of course, beyond computation. It is only possible to forecast it in the light of previous disasters. The roads of Yokohama are described as strewed with dead, and the mountain resort of Hakone, much frequented by foreigners at this time of the year, is believed to have been almost wiped out.

No coherent account of events is yet available, as apparently all communication with Tokio is still severed. The reports to hand were carried to neighbouring cities by refugees and thence transmitted by wireless. One message states that a belt 300 miles long of the most populous region of Japan was affected by the earthquake.

The Japanese Minister for War has sent out an appeal for all available foreign aid. The Japanese fleet has been ordered to Yokohama to the relief of the stricken area, and the United States Navy Department has also instructed the American Asiatic fleet to proceed to Japanese waters to co-operate in the work of succour.

WIDESPREAD RUIN. ELEVEN TOWNS INVOLVED. " TOKIO LAID WASTE. ' EXPLOSION OF * ARSENAL. SUCCOUR BY AIR AND SEA. By Telesraph—Piresa Association— Copyright. (Received 9.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. NEW YORK. Sept. B. Various presii reports from Shanghai give the following informtitidn bf the Japanese disaster. Tokio and Yokohama are in ruins, and tho cities to-day were again shaken by another earthquake. The Tokio arsenal exploded, injuring many relief workers, and starting-new fires, which are continuing the general destruction. All vacant grounds are filled with refugees, and thousands are fleeing 50 miles, around. Tokio has been laid waste, and heaps of dead .fill tho streets of desolated 'towns/ . . • . Pukagawa, Senji, Yokosuka, Asakusa, Kanda, Hongo, Shinagawa, and. Ito are among the towns and cities partially or totally destroyed. Thelmport Jof Nagoya with a population of 600.000. is also reported by wireless to have been destroyed. The Saske railway tunnel, tho largest in Japan, collapsed. Communication with the stricken areas is now possible only by aeroplane, and a Japanese lieutenant, who arrived thus at Osaka, carried a message from the Japanese Minister for War, requesting that appeals should 1» made for foreign aid immediately. Warships Steaming to Belief. The entire Japanese fleet - has bees ordered to proceed to Yokohama for rescue work. British warships near Yokohama are steaming to the port to take part in the relief work. Steamers one being sent from other parts, laden with food and other necessities, for the relief of the distressed people A wireless message reports that 200.0U0 people in Yokohama are homeless and foodless. Thousands are taking refuge on •teamen. A serious ■ conflagration ia raging ? n Yokosuka, where the na.val buildings and hospitals were burned. Medical assist ance is being organised as rapidly, as possible, aeroplane squadrons being utilised in rescue work. Hundreds of townships skirting Mount Fuji Yama were wiped out by a landslide. Many foreigners were holidaying in the Hakone district, where the force of the earthquake shocks are believed to have been most severe. Fears are entertained for their safety. A naval wireless message, received from Funahaishi, says that the Japanese Navy Department is not answering radio calls, and it is feared that the entire department has been destroyed.

More detailed reports of the destruction in Tokio state that the Imperial Theatre, Imperial University, and other important "buildings in Tokio were demolished.

A correspondent of the newspaper Osaka. Ma'michi reports that terrible earth shocks 'in Tokio were repeated over 10 times. All the buildings were either completely or partially, destroyed. People fled to open •Paces, and the shocks continued inter. mittently from morning til] sundown, "'res broke out everywhere, fanned by * strong breeze, and were soon beyond control. The correspondent estimates that 200,000 houses are reduced to ashes. Whfln he left Tokio on Saturday evening the firo W as still raging. « is reported that the Prime Minister, Count Yomogato, and one of the young Imperial Princes had narrow escapes. The latter took refuge in a bamboo patch. Burning Bridges Stop Refugees. Later messages state that martial law ,5 ..*? enforced in Tokio. Nobody is emitted without provisions. The Nippon oasht ward has been annihilated, and «'gnt other wards in the city are swept

An airman was unable to see a single fiouse in Kamaknra or Yokoauka as the result of a tidal wave. Fourteen hundred houses were burned J n Yokohama. The marine district surrounding Yokosnka was wiped out, and Chips are stranded ashore. All bridges on the burnida River are lost. Noshima and JVamakura have been turned into a rnuddv sea.

Refugees who reached tho steamer i £orea Alaru told harrowing stories. Yokohama's latest skyscrapers toppled "Ho the streets. Then mighty , conflagrations swept the entire district. Tho detached Imperial Palace at Nhinigawa became a prey to the flames. Burning •Wages across* the Tokio Canal prevented thousands escaping 1, m the flaming; *reas. Military firemen and police joined the fight against the flames. ' j The Korea Maru heard nothing of. tho ' ***« of tho British or American Embassies. * :••'.' J

THE LOSS OF LIFE. BEYOND ALL PRECEDENTS. ROADS COVERED WITH DEAD. RANGE OF EARTHQUAKE. BELT OF 300 MILES. By Teksraph— Association— (Received 9.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON. Sept. 3. The meagre news from Japan indicates the colossal nature of the disaster. The range of the upheaval was apparently 300 miles, from Osaka in the south to Sendai iin the north, embracing the most thicklypopulated section of Japan. Many towns are blazing, and the water supplies are wrecked. A cable despatch to the Daily Eipreia fronv its correspondent at Osaka say«: "It is impossible to give any idea of the disaster. Yokohama is practically destroyed and Tokio is cut off. All we know is that the loss of life is greater than in any previous earthquake. " Before communications were cut off we were told, that on» quarter of the capital was not burning and the rest was enveloped, in flames. The population was rushing about madly; and people were being trampled upon, crushed to death, or suffocated in the smoke Government offices had disappeared and the Imperial palace was on fire. The roadways 0 Yokohama are thick with dead. A report from Nagasaki received by Reuter's Agency via Shanghai says that though it is impossible to estimate the* earthquake casualties in' Tokio, it is feared that they exceed those of the great earthquake of 1856, which killed 100.000 people in Yedo (the name by which Tokio was then known) alone., It is reported that the Fuji spinning mills, near Mount Fuji, collapsed and 8000 operators perished. Hakone, a famous mountain resort, was almost wiped out. Tokio -was still burning late on Sunday night and explosions were frequently heard. Intermittent earthquakes continue. The Daily Chronicle's New York correspondent states that the wireless messages report that an earthquake' lasting an hour and a-half caused devastation along a belt of 300 miles of the most thickly populated area of Japan. Later the area bucame a ; mass of flames. The tower in Asakust Park, in Tokio Pleasure Garden, which was 220 ft. high, collapsed, killing 700. All the bridges and many railway stations tumbled to ruins. Great anxiety is • felt regarding the fate of British and Americans, especially in Yokohama, where a tidal wave sent the inhabitants • flying; terror-stricken into the interior, but the majority of foreigners have their homes on higher land in Yokohama, so may have escaped. The Hawaiian Islands are preparing for a great tidal wave, which, it is apprehended, will sweep across the Pacific." ■ :. RECORDED IN SYDNEY. ' JAPANESE A WITNESS. A. and N.Z. SYDNEY. Soot. 8. Dr. Pigofc, of Riverview, was showing Dr. Omori, one of the Japanese delegates to tho Science Congress, and one of the greatest authorities in the world on seis- ' mography, hia seismographs at the time the Japanese earthquake records were being received. Both saw at a glance that it was a big earthquake, but not until Dr. Omori had departed did Dr. Pigot ascertain the locality. ° i Dr. Pigot states he has five seismo- I graphs, and received a complete record of the disturbance on all five. He states the disaster is grave, and serious for the j Japanese attending the Science Congress, as many of their relatives and friends are at Tokio. WELLINGTON RECORD.

TWO SHOCKS ON SATURDAY. FIRST LASTS SIX HOURS. [BT TELEGRAPH OWN CrjftRBSPONDENT ] WELLINGTON. Monday. An excellent record of the earthquake in Japan has been secured at the Hector Observatory, Kelbuni. Although- the prints were not completely dry this afternoon. Dr. C. E. Adams. Government Seismologist, was able to make a few preliminary deductions. The shock was first recorded in Wellington at 2.40 p.m. on Saturday, and it Wed about six hours. A shock of less intensity was also recorded on the local seismograph on Sunday about 24 hours after the first disturbance. As far as can be ascertained at present, the centre of the shock was from 80 to 85 degrees from Wellington, the line passing through Japan. '.i.'v'-'-'-l '-':•:■■■'