The Scene at Wairoa. McRae's Hotel Wrecked. Many Persons Killed and Missing. Taupo, 12 a.m.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 157, 19 June 1886, Page 1

The Scene at Wairoa. Mcßae's Hotel Wrecked. Many Persons Killed and Missing. Taupo, 12 a.m.

At 3 a.m, this morning a terrific re? port aroused the sleeping inhabitants of Taupo, when an immense glare of a pillar - shaped, light was observed to the N.N.E. A great black cloud hung over this pillar-concaveton the under side and convere on the upper, whilst meteors on all sides shot out from the cloud in every direcj tion, shedding unearthly bli^i^h lights. Loud reports accompanied" oy very heavy shocks of earthquake followed in quick succession, and tjijs kept on till 6 a.m., when the daylight and the clouds of ashes rendered, the sight invisible. The trembling inhabitants thought the end* of tfib world had come. At 9 a.m. news came along the wires that#a terrible eruption was going OB&Tjlto Rotorua. At 2.15 a.m. three extinct volcanoes, Kuawhia, Tarawer* an immense column of flame ant! smoke ascended into the heavens antl molten lava and hot mud ran In all directions, while huge rocks and masses of fire went up and around in a]! directions. The earthquakes were 1 terrible. The inhabitants of Rotorua rushed madly about in their nigjrjjdresses and many left fche township ip conveyances for Oxford. The m habitents of phinemutu are *H safe, but there is a terrible loss of life near Tarawera and Wairoa. Messengers have returned with the news that only two of the Hazard fkmilj have escaped, their house bejfig

buried beneath the lava. McCrae's hotel at Wahoa is also wrecked, but no information has arrived concerning the occupants. The bodies of fourteen Maoris were seen. Several native settlers are submerged under the lava. The wind is blowing from the south end, and should it change to east, it is feared the whole of ltocorua will go. Tongariro is quiet. Heavy snow is falling on the ranges, and the cold is-Jlntense. The rumbling still continues.