Buildings Toppled By Severe Eearthquake In Italian Province

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 January 1949, Page 5

Buildings Toppled By Severe Eearthquake In Italian Province

(N.Z.P.A.—Reuter—copyright.> ROME, Jan. s—The newspaper “Giornale Della Sera” reports that earth tremors early today shook the province of Reiti, 59 miles north-east of Rome, causing two deaths. The reports have increased Italian fears in the propheev of a severe ’quake by the English meteorologist Wheeler. The newspaper stated that 95 per cent, of the buildings were brought down or damaged in the town of Rivodutri, in the Rieti Province. The town has a population of 1500 Hundreds of Italians are moving out from points 50 rTles north of Rome, panic-stricken by Wheeler’s forecast that there will be a severe earthquake in the area tomorrow. Whole families have gone into the open, and firemen have set up huge tents tc shelter some of the temporary refugees. The Red Cross and the Pontifical Assistance Commission is also helping them. Mr. William Wheeler, of Hanwell, Middlesex, made the forecast last October, but he said the trouble might not be in Italy. "Actually I said, ‘either in Italy or Japan,' and I stand by that.” He claims to have been forecasting earthquakes successfully for 40 years.