SWATOW DISASTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16811, 14 August 1922, Page 6

SWATOW DISASTER.

Terrible Scenes in Locality. sr * Harbour Full of Floating Bodies. By Taleffr&ph—Preaa Association—CopyrSsrks Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received August 14, 9.10 a.m.) NEW YORK, August 13. The “ New York World ” publishes the first detailed cable account of the Swatow disaster. “It was the most terrible typhoon ever experienced on the China coast, and the loss of life is now estimated at 100,000, but it will take weeks to ascertain the exact extent of the calamity. Warnings early in the day os August 1.2 indicated the approach of the storm, and all shipping, including sampan junks, in which half the population live, sought shelter in the harbour. The typhoon was raging at its height by night, and the wind was blowing 100 miles an hour, with deluges of rain. A huge tidal wave, carried by the wind, swept the neighbouring country towns, and literally swept away as far as 200 miles inland. The Swatow scenes resemble those of Ypres. “ Storm destroyed all food stocks and water supplies, and thousands of dead were collected and remained unburied in the temple compounds, owing to the lack of coffins. “ Shipping suffered heavily. Five ocean liners were driven ashore and three were hopelessly stranded inshore. All the small craft, housing 50,000 natives, were wiped out, and all piers and pontoons wrecked, making it impossible for relief vessels to land supplies. Swatow is under ten feet of water, and the harbour full of floating dead bodies. Famine is raging.”