THE TURKISH EARTHQUAKE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10479, 15 October 1912, Page 2

THE TURKISH EARTHQUAKE.

9000 PEOPLE KILLED OR INJURED. The recent earthquake in Turkey proves to have been far worse than was at first reported. Over three thousand people in Thrace and along the coast .of the Sea of Marmora lost their lives, and double : that number were injured, either in the initial upheaval or the ensuing fire which consumed entire villages. Survivors are represented as if stunned by the disaster which deprived thenqat one stroke of kindred and homes. Like a flock of sheep ■they [look on at the relief work, helpless to give any aid themselves. The Kaiser lias sent £SOO in aid of

the sufferers. The following is the report of the American guardshipf,Scorpion which has just returned to Constantinople from the scene of the earthquake: The number of killed is estimated at over 5000, while those injured are at least twice as many. It is almost impossible to approkch some of the villages owing to the stench arising from the bodies buried beneath the rains, while other villages- are simply charred heaps. The plight of the survivors at these places is worse because of the difficulty of obtaining fresh building materials. Earth tremors continue almost daily, and six damaged houses collapsed in consequence of a slight shock. In some villages houses which were apparently undamaged were found to consist of empty shells, the whole of the interior having fallen down. At Myriophito first appearances wore deceptive, because some halfdozen houses surrounded by gardens were still standing on _ the sea front, but immediately behind them hardly a stick or stone was left standing. Numerous Assures were noticed in the ground. The villagers reported that a big cleft some sixty metres deep had opened in the side of a hill eight miles inland. At Hora no signs of volcanic activity were observed, but the people seemed still stunned by the catastrophe, making no attempt to help themselves, and mostly sitting in groups brooding over their misfortunes and awaiting relief. Relief work has been organised by the Red Crescent Society and Greek philanthropic societies. The transport Bozmialem has been converted into a hospital ship. The American Medical Mission, afte 1 treating some 500 patients, and finding that its work was overlapping that of other missions,, handed its supplies and medical stores to the Vali of Adrianople, who is superintending the work on the spot. The American Red Cross Society is continuing to despatch supplies. „ It is understood that the European colonies are proposing to collect subscriptions under the patronage of the Embassies, and that the (Ecumenical Patriarchate contemplates appealing to the Archhishiop of Canterbury for aid. The centre of the upheaval was the region of the Dardanelles. _ At the town of Tchanak hot springs burst forth and flowed over _ a large area of ground, only to disappear again through fissures in the earth. The fires in most cases were caused by the upsetting of the oil lamps, which illuminated ikons. Myriophito , and Galipoli wore converted into heaps of smoking ruins. Most of the people fled to the seashore, and many threw themselves into the sea.

One of the most alarming' features of the earthquake was.the formation of wide chasms in the earth from which boiling water and sulphurous gases were ejected, to the consternation of the villagers. Long before the earthquake occurred the cattle in the fields appeared to suffer from great excitement, amounting almost to madness.