BURSTING OF A RESERVOIR IN FRANCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 10294, 29 April 1895, Page 2

BURSTING OF A RESERVOIR IN FRANCE.

GREAT DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY. FIFTY PERSONS DROWNED. DAMAGES ESTIMATED AT TWO MILLIONS. [PER PHKS3 ASSOCIATION.] PAHIS, April 28.—Early on Saturday morning the Bousey reservoir, containing 7,000,000 cubic metres, burst, and inundated tho country between Epinal and Chatel. The flood destroyed six miles of tho banks of the eastern canal, and increasing in volume the torrent tore down the Epinal valley, and swept away farmhouses, bridges, and in some instances whole plantations. Tho water finally emptied itself into the Moselle river al Chatel, eleven miles in distance from where the reservoir burst. Numerous villagos were destroyed, and not a single house remains in the Bousey or Darnieulles. A few houses are standing at Les Forges, which place was previously inhabited by 1400 peoplo. Twenty-nine persons wore drowned at Eurequency, and altogether over fifty are drowned. The damage is estimated at two millions sterling. Many of the residents escaped in their night cjothei. Terriblo distress provails in tho districts inundated. Tho total number of those drowned by tho disaster to the reservoir was 7G.