THE EARTHQUAKE IN ISCHIA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume X, Issue 2028, 18 September 1883, Page 2

THE EARTHQUAKE IN ISCHIA.

4 [By Telegraph.] [Peh R.M.S. Australia.] Auckland, tkis day. The town of Casamicciola, in the island of Ischia, was destroyed by an earthquake or recession of land on the night of the 28th July. It is estimated 5000 persons perished. The shocks began at half-past nine. The majority of the upper c'aaaes were at the theatre, and the scene was one of horror. The curtain had just risen, when a tremendous shock was felt, followed by a fearful roar, and the ground rocked like a ship in a storm. A great cry of terror arose from the audience, who were thrown in a heap, and great numbers were Imried beneath the timbers of the building, which fell on them. Those who could, escaped from the theatre, some clambering into trees for safety, but the larger number fleeing to the sea sho^e, where alarm firea were kindled. • In the meantime every building in the town had collapsed. The hotel Piecola Sentinella Bank into the earth, and waa buried with many of tho inmates. Many Romans having villas at Lodia are known to have been lost. The corpses were plainly discernible through the ruins, but could not be extricated. In nearly every case they were horribly mangled. The Minister of Public Works arrived at Casamicciola on the 29th July to arrange measures of relief. Hundreds of victims wore burled in the usual w»y, immediately on their being recovered, in order to prevent miasma ; but an it was impossible to recover and bury all the bodies, it was ordered, considering tho horrible exhalations from decomposing remains, that covered corpses should be left where they lay, and fifteen hundred tons of lime were poured over thi ruins,

thus converting Casamiceiola into a vast cemetery. The neighboring towns of Forn and Luceo were also greatly damaged, and the loss of life readied 2000, divided between both places. The centre of the area of shock was the same aa that of two yeare ago, but the radius was larger. It was felt at sea, and, according to some accounts, even at Naples. The hospitals in the city were crowded with wounded and dying, brought there by steamers from the island. The calamity infinitely exceeded the Chios earthquake in 1881. Amongst the missing is an Engfish gentleman named Sommers, who resided at th« Hotel Manoi, and also many English and American visitors, Ischia being a greit resort for travellers in pursuit of health or pleasure. Of a vSwiss family named Pascal, numbering eight, only one daughter survived. Many English and Americans arrived on the 31st in search of friunds and relatives, On the night of the disaster, the seine was most terrible, when hundreds of hah naked men and women, wild with terror and grief, ran to ami fro among the ruins with torches, seaiuhiug for their missing friends. For days, the stench of decaying llosh, notwithstanding the deodorising material used, was almost unbearable. Additional shocks, attended with damage, occurred on the 4th August. Kiug Humbert visited the hospitals on the 3rd, and condoled with the sufferers. He also repaired to the scene of the earthquake, where he distributed money and provisions to those in need.