’QUAKE KILLS 556

Taranaki Daily News, 4 March 1933, Page 7

’QUAKE KILLS 556

north japan disaster tidal wave engulfs homes FIRE AFTER SEVERE SHAKE FEW FOREIGNERS IN AREA LIGHTS FAIL AT YOKOHAMA By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Rec. 9 p.m. Tokio, March 3. Earthquake before, dawn to-day killed at least 556 and 200 are missing. Thousands of houses were destroyed. Most damage was done in northern Honshiu, serious fires being caused. A huge tidal wave engulfed 1500 houses at Kamaishi and another thousand were destroyed by fire. The reported injured number 135. The centre of the earthquake was 265 miles north of Fukushima, the Miyagi and Iwate prefectures being chiefly affected. Except a few missionaries, no foreigners reside in the area. Tire most severe damage was at Kamaishi, where fires were followed by the tidal wave which demolished homes and wrecked coastwise shipping. Communications are interrupted. The lights failed at Yokohama but otherwise the city was undamaged. No damage has been reported at Tokio. Miyanoshita reports being slightly shaken but undamaged. The earthquake began at 2.30 o’clock in the morning in the northern prefectures and Kwanto and was felt as far south as Osaka. Some reports place the damage at Iwate at 1000 houses destroyed. RECORDING AT WELLINGTON. COINCIDENTAL MINOR SHOCK. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, March 3. The seismometers at the Dominion Observatory, Kelburn, started at 5.43 a.m. to record a very big earthquake, and at 9.30 a.m., when the paper recording drums were changed, the shake was continuing. From the records it was obvious that the earthquake was of considerable magnitude. The distance of the centre from Wellington is estimated at 6000 mjles, but it is impossible to state the direction owing to the confused nature of the tremors. At 6.38 a.m. a small shock was recorded. It was also felt by a number of people in Wellington. This had its origin in or near the Dominion, and it Was probably coincidence that it occurred during the recording of the big shake. Its records are so mixed with the big one that it is not possible at present to determine the location of the epicentre.