TIENTSIN FLOODS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23895, 24 August 1939, Page 12

TIENTSIN FLOODS

HUGE AREA INUNDATED CONCESSIONS AFFECTED HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, Aug. 22. The Shanghai correspondent of The Times says over 3,000,000 are affected by the Tientsin floods. The country for a 30-mile radius has been turned into a vast lake dotted with mounds packed with refugees. Thousands of people were washed away. The British area has been submerged except for a strip along the Bund. The Italian Concession and the railway station alone escaped the deluge. British troops were called out and manned sampans, rescuing those in danger. The Japanese have given up the attempt to enforce the blockade, but are still delaying foreigners at the bridge barrier and preventing refugees from going to Peking. The food problem is very acute. WATERS STILL RISING GRIM BATTLE BEING FOUGHT TIENTSIN, Aug. 22. Facing fresh perils of flood, starvation, and epidemics, residents in the British and French Concessions are fighting a grim battle against the rising waters. Hundreds are already drowned and thousands are missing. The flooded streets are filled by hundreds of craft of all kinds. Thousands are still marooned on the housetops. The water is Oft to 15ft high throughout the Japanese Concession, which was most affected. It is reliably reported that Chinese guerrillas, taking advantage of the situation, caused a number of serious fires on Japanese "property in Laes, which is a large supply depot. POSITION AT NANKING THE SHOOTING INCIDENT TOKIO, Aug. 22. The Nanking puppet Government has worked out a plan for a fundamental solution of the problems of the international settlement and foreign concessions in Shanghai, whose puppet Mayor (Mr Fusiaoen), under threat of other measures, demanded that the Municipal Council should apologise and punish the police to compensate for the victims in Saturday's incident, when Sergeant Kinlcch, after being shot without provocation in the back by puppet police and trespassers, returned the fire and killed two of them. THE FOUR CHINESE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS (British Official Wireless) EUGBY, Aug. 22. The hearing with regard to the summons for a writ of habeas corpus in the case of the four Chinese was adjourned till to-morrow after statements by Sir Terence O'Connor for the Foreign Secretary and Sir Walter Monckton for the applicants.