People Driven Mad

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 336, 23 April 1928, Page 9

People Driven Mad

EARTHQUAKE. HORROR Whole Cities Laid Waste PANIC AND DEATH IN BULGARIA (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian P.A.—United Service) SOFIA, Saturday. DETAILS of the earthquakes which have occurred iu the past few days are now beginning to emerge from the devastated areas in Bulgaria. They show that the main disturbance was the most terrible one of the kind in European memory.

Details of the earthquakes which have occurred in the past few days are now beginning to emerge from the devastated areas in Bulgaria. They show that the main dusturbance was the most terrible one of the kind in European memory. There were 50 more severe shocks yesterday, making 150 in three days. It is now definitely established than 120 people were killed and that 400 others were injured. Furthermore it is impossible to .calculate the number of people still lying beneath ruins. The taking of a census is difficult as the terrified populations of the various districts are scattered in all directions. Many have lost their reason and are wandering in a demented state about the country. The whole of the people of Bulgaria are the victims of panic and are expecting the end of the world. Even in Sofia the population spent Thursday night in the parks or fields and refused to return to their houses yesterday. The historic city of Philippopolis has been laid waste just as it was in 1818. Entire streets of houses have collapsed, and by the crashing masonry the principal streets have been obliterated. The railway station is an unrecognisable mass of broken bricks and twisted rails. There was a terrible scene at the public hospital. Frantic patients fought to reach the windows while the building was rocking and then threw themselves to the ground. Many insane people rushed out into the streets shouting hysterically. The desolation is widespread. Fifteen towns, villages and hamlets have disappeared under masses of splintered debris. The earthquakes were accompanied by strange thunder beneath the earth and by rustling, whistling sounds in the air. People in the streets, as they were rushing for safety, were struck down by bricks and cornices from large buildings. Fire broke out in Philippopolis, and soon gigantic flames were devouring the ruins. The earthquakes continued throughput last night at intervals of 15 minutes, sometimes swaying the earth and at other times taking the form of sharp shakes beneath the feet. A fresh building collapsed with each shock. Public buildings, schools, workshops, factories and railway stations crashed amid terrifying rumble, which gave

way to shrieks of tlie wounded and ‘dying. Panic-stricken people everywhere poured through the streets — sobbing human beings choking in the dust and smoke. TRAPPED IN SCHOOL At Papazli, a few miles from Philippopolis, 10 children were trapped in a burning school and burned to death. There was a terrible contrast at the village of Sotebelovo. There people escaped from their homes only to he menaced by swirling waters from the burst water-mains. Part of the railway connecting Philippopolis with Sofia was thrown up like a toy line and another portion sank to a depth of 2ft. Panic broke out among the prisoners in the gaol at Zagora. They made frantic attempts to escape. All kinds of strange phenomena accompanied the latest disturbance and added to the horror. Huge chasms have appeared in fields and roads, and in some cases they are slowly closing again. Many people are camping in motorcars, wagons and tents on open spaces. There are continual processions around the ruined outskirts of Philippopolis of people chanting expiatory psalms and calling on all to repent their sins. King Boris, the Prime Minister. M. Liaptcheff, and members of the Cabinet, are aiding in the relief work, which is greatly hampered by the general disorganisation of traffic. The Paris-Con-stantinople and the Simplon express trains cannot be run, and there is a danger of famine in many districts which were short of food before the shocks. Superstitious people are blamiug the Government, saying it challenged the Divine wrath by holding Parliamentary sessions on Good Friday. A third series of shocks occurred last night. These especially affected Haskovo, a tow'n 44 miles from Philippopolis, which had largely escaped in the former shocks. Tremors continued all night and numerous houses were damaged. The residents were already camping out and escaped.