TOWN IN ASHES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10979, 19 January 1914, Page 5

TOWN IN ASHES

AFTER CRATER BLAZED,

REFUGEES PANIC-STRICKEN.

THEY FOUGHT LIKE WOLVES

"Times."—Sydney "Sun" Special Cables, LONDON, January 17.

Tho "Times" correspondent sayfl that tho exaggerated reports of the damage caused by the Japanese earthquake .are causing great comment. It is officially announced that only ten persons wore killed and seventeen injured at Kagoshima. Volcanic ashes lie 3t'c deep over the whole town. Whilst Sakurashima was devastated all animals being burnt where they stood, the death roll among the inhabitants does not exceed two hundred, the villagers having time to escape before the houses were overwhelmed by lava streams.

One woman, returning to rescue her baby, snatched up an infant and carried it to a train, which she boarded after a fierce struggle. On arriving at Kumamato, she found that the baby was not hers. Distress drove hei' insane.

Bye-witnesses describe the struggle# of panicstricken refugees at the railway stations as being like wolves fighting for .food. EXTENT OP THE DAMAGEBy Tolograph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received January 18, 8.50 a.m.) LONDON, January 18. Tho Japanese Embassy states that half tho houses at Sakurashima were destroyed. It is believed that all the inhabitants except two hundred escaped. Twentyfour were killed and wounded in Kagoshima.