CITY OF CHAOS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLV, Issue 22792, 17 January 1944, Page 5

CITY OF CHAOS

Evacuation Of Sofia Panic-stricken Refugees By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright LONDON, January 14. Sofia is a city of chaos and panic, and evacuation has been ordered. Since the raids by Allied bombers began the Bulgarian capital has been in a state of terror, and observers believe that if these heavy-scale raids are repeated it

would lead to Bulgaria’s being bombed out of the war. The Ankara correspondent of the “Daily Mall” says that the city’s civil service has broken down and German troops have been called in to stop the rush of panic-stricken refugees. Ankara radio states that all Army leave has been cancelled in Bulgaria. Six heavy raids have been carried out on the city in the past two months, and early this week another raid was made. Schools and universities were hastily evacuatedSofia’s air raid warning system was destroyed in the last big attack, and In future alarms will be rung on church bells.

The death penalty has been imposed tor looting. Bulgarian troops fighting with the German forces in Yugoslavia have been warned that raids on Sofia will become more severe and may be extended to other parts of Bulgaria. This statement was made in a broadcast from London by a Bulgarian, who said that the moving of Allied bases from North Africa to Italy had halved the flying distance to the Bulgarian capital, and In future greater bomb loads could be carried. A strong appeal was made to the soldiers to desert to the Yugoslav patriot forces, or to return to their native land and oust the traitor Government. Serious Situation Two more bombings like Monday's will wipe Sofia off the map, say travellers from Bulgaria reaching Ankara. The centre of the city is already destroyed. Sofia has ceased to function as a city. Thousands of persons have been killed, but at present it is impossible to assess the casualty total because bodies are still buried in debris. Terrorstricken survivors are fleeing to adjacent areas by all forms of conveyance. Those remaining in the city face a serious situation. There is no water or electricity and little food. Bulgarians estimate that 400 planes participated in the attack.

The first raid, which occurred at noon and lasted two hours, knocked out the electrical system, with the result that the sirens did not sound for the second raid around midnight, thus completely surprising civilians. According to Reuter's Ankara correspondent, the Sofia radio was heard broadcasting government instructions to all chemists, doctors and nurses to return to Sofia within 24 hours and the immediate requisitioning of all motor vehicles. ' It announced that prefects throughout the country had been ordered to mobilise bakers and send them to the capital. The German Overseas News service, speaking of Sofia, says the Bulgarian Minister of the Interior has ordered the evacuation of the city, entry into which is forbidden except in case of urgent necessity. Residents in Bulgarian provinces are compelled to shelter and feed evacuees. The death penalty has been imposed for looting. Church bells will warn of future raids, because the air raid alarm system has been destroyed. No debts or bills of exchange need be paid in the next fortnight, and all law suits have been adjourned until after January 26. Schools and universities have been closed, thus facilitating the smooth evacuation of all the larger Bulgarian towns. The Sofia newspapers appeared on Wednesday for the first time since the Allied raid.