CITY BOMBED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23050, 30 May 1938, Page 9

CITY BOMBED

CANTON TRAGEDY DEATHS TOTAL 600 ENORMOUS DAMAGE PEOPLE IN A PANIC NEARLY 1000 INJURED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received May 2!), 5.5 p.m.) CANTON, May 28 The city of Canton is staggering under an intense aerial bombing, which was begun at 11.15 a.m. By noon 100 bombs had been dropped from groups of Japanese aeroplanes on the city and across the river.

Eleven of the aeroplanes dropped bombs in the vicinity of the Wongsha railway station—a thickly populated district near Shameen, the foreign settlement in the middle of the river. It is estimated that the total number of people killed was 600, and those injured, 900. Two streets adjacent to the Wongsha station were demolished. Rescuers are still engaged in removing victims from the wreckage. During the raid there was a scene of terrible confusion, thousands of panic-stricken people trying to cross to the settlement where guards prevented their entrance. Most of them took refuge on the waterfront, consequently the carnage was less than was feared. The raiders returned at 1.15 p.m*, after which fires raged in the densely populated areas of Saikwan and Wongsha, both of which are pitted with immense craters. In the second raid, 40 rescue workers were killed and 50 were wounded. Wongsha was bombed four times, and 100 houses were destroyed. Bombs fell near the public hospital, which is far from the military establishments. On the other hand, an official Japanese account from Tokio states forty aeroplanes effectively bombed the Canton railways and military establishments.

LUNGHAI RAILWAY FIGHT FOR POSSESSION CONTRADICTORY REPORTS KWEITEH THE KEY POINT (Received May 20, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 2S The Chinese Foreign Ministry has informed the Chinese Embassy in London that Langfeng has been recaptured, with the infliction of heavy casualties on the Japanese. This frees the Lunghai railway between Kaifcng and Kweiteh. Japanese remnants arc being pursued by the Chinese, who are also surrounding and attacking Japanese reinforcements at Kwantai. A message from Tokio says the Japanese entered Kweiteh, the key point on the Lunghai railway, and claim to be still holding Langfeng. TRAIN HELD UP RAILWAY WRECKED BRITISH SAILORS DELAYED (Received May 20, 5.5 p.m.) HONGKONG, May 28 In spite of a notification of the despatch to-day of a special train containing British naval ratings to relieve the crews of the British gunboats on the Yangtse River, the Japanese overnight so wrecked the Kowloon-Canton railway that the train could not leave. CHOLERA EPIDEMIC OUTBREAK IN SHANGHAI SHANGHAI, May 27 Eight of 18 suspected Chinese cases of cholera have been confirmed as such. The outbreak is declared to be epidemic and an extension is feared owing to the hundreds of thousands of refugees who are living under insanitary conditions. Cholera 'has also broken out at Tootung, whither the Japanese have despatched a medical corps in the hope of preventing the spread to their own forces. Shanghai clinics have inoculated 70,000 people.