JAPANESE HORROR.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13290, 28 January 1914, Page 5

JAPANESE HORROR.

PLIGHT FROM THE FLAMES. HEROES AT KAGOSHIMA. LONDON, January 21. The Japanese Seismological Department is of the opinion that the erupiton of Sakurashima Avas due to the activity of the volcano at Higashikirishima. This is the mountain on AA'hich, according to an ancient legend, the divine ancestor of the Emperors of Japan descended from heaven. ■ There is thought to be no danger of further eruptions. The earth tremors are subsiding Previous reports of the death-roll at Kagashima soerii to have been greatly exaggerated. It is now estimated that 600, t the majority of the inhabitants of Kagashima Island, have been rescued. At Kagashima. Bay, on the mainland, 30.000 houses have been destroyed, atid 200,000 refugees scattered through the mountains and forests m the early hours of the disaster. They afterAvards escaped by the railway. The streets of the mainland town of Kagashima are coA-ered Avith snow-white ashes. EA'eryone is carrying umbrellas as protection from the ashes, Avhich are still falling. The Tokio correspondent of the Times says that the exaggerated reports «as to the dariiage caused by the earthquake are causing great comment. It is officially announced that only 10 -have been killed and 17' injured at Kagashima. Vblcariic ashes are lying . three feet deep over the whole of the town. The sun is hidden m clouds of ashes, and a;t noon it is as dark as night. The toAvn is almost deserted, as the inhabitants dread a reneAval of the eruption. Saliurashima is devastated. All animals were burnt where they stood, but the death-roll of the inhabitants does not exceed 200, as the people had time to escape before their houses were overAvhelmed by streams of lava. TOKIO, January 21. The houses at Sakura, one' of the places OA-erwhelmed by the late eruptions, t are enveloped m lava, arid resembled' gigantic \yasp nes^s. Refugees Avlio returned to Sakura refused to enter their desolated homes except for a hurried search for valuables. Throughout the eruptions the staff at the Kagashima Observatory remained at their posts, nearly suffocated with'poisonous gases, and momentarily threatened with ; death, Avhile carefully recording each phase of the seismic disturb-