TIDAL WAVE

Southland Times, Issue 20939, 23 November 1929, Page 7

TIDAL WAVE

MANY DROWNED HOUSES SWEPT- AWAY NEWFOUNDLAND COAST _ HEAVY DAMAGE CAUSED SEQUEL TO EARTHQUAKE (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) St.,Johns (Newfoundland), November 21. Thirty-four were drowned, on the South Coast of Newfoundland when a 15-foot tidal wave swept up from the earthquake on Monday. Many sections have not yet been heard from. A wireless report reaching the Justice Department to-day from the steamer Portia said that nine persons, mostly women and children, were lost when everything along the Burin waterfront, including 16 buildings, was swept away. Four of the bodies were recovered. Eighteen were drowned at Lord’s Cove and Lamantine in the Burin district. The steamer Daisy is giving assistance to the stricken communities. All communications, except by radio, are cut off from the south coast. Delayed reports state that the tidal wave moved inland carrying with it houses and bodies, human beings and livestock. When it receded hundreds were homeless. The damage at present is estimated at 200,000 dollars. Twelve houses were carried away at Lamantine and Lord's Cove and of the 18 dead most were women and children. At Port Aubras, a few miles west of Lord’s Cove, seven houses were carried away and seven people, six of whom were women and children, lost their lives. Boats in the fishing fleet were tossed violently, but no marine disasters have yet been reported. Most men in the region were out fishing, leaving their families at home. There was an interval of two and a half hours between the earthquake and the tidal wave. Efforts were begun to-day to send relief to the homeless. DAMAGED CABLES WORK OF RESTORATION. (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Rugby, November 21. Measures are being taken to repair the transatlantic cables broken or otherwise damaged by the earthquake under the North Atlantic on 'Monday afternoon. There are about 20 cables between Britain and North America, and about half these were affected. Communication has been maintained without serious delay by alternative cable routes and wireless, and some cable companies’ repair ships arrived yesterday in the area of damage situated about 300 miles off Nova Scotia. This is stated to be the first time in history that the Atlantic cables have suffered through an earthquake. ' A message from the liner Olympic yesterday reported that she felt the shock when 312 miles off Cape Race., The ship shuddered, but no damage was done.