TERRIBLE HAVOC
DESTRUCTION ON MALTA CASUALTIES SURPRISINGLY LOW (Rec. 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 9. The British United Press correspondent at Malta reports that he has just toured the island. Words did not exist to convey a picture of what has happened there ..as-the..result of the air raids, so, he explained, he would try figures instead. The following have been destroyed or damaged:—ls,soo houses (this counts blocks of flats as one house), 70 churches, 18 convents and nunneries, 10 theatres, 8 hotels, 22 schools, 8 hospitals. 8 of the principal clubs, 5 of the principal . banks, and 48 other public buildings; many of which were world-famous.
Seventy-five per cent, of the houses of Valetta have been destroyed or damaged, and over 75 per cent, of the buildings in the most populated areas are so smashed that complete rebuilding will be necessary. There is hardly a hamlet in the island that has not been hit.
The correspondent added that the miracle is that the casualties are so low—llo4 killed, 1316 seriously injured, and 1299 slightly injured. This is chiefly due to the effectiveness of the underground shelters.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 24912, 11 May 1942, Page 5
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185TERRIBLE HAVOC Otago Daily Times, Issue 24912, 11 May 1942, Page 5
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