TERRIBLE FLOODS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20890, 23 August 1939, Page 8

TERRIBLE FLOODS

CONDITIONS IN TIENTSIN 3,000,000 PEOPLE AFFECTED STARVATION AND EPIDEMICS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received August 23, 3.15 p.m.) TIENTSIN, August 22 Facing fresh perils of flood, starvation and epidemics, residents of the ‘British and French Concessions are •flghtinjg a grim battle against the rising waters. of people already have been drowned and one thousand are missing. LONDON, August 22 The Shanghai correspondent of the Times says over 3,000,000 people are affected by the Tientsin floods. The country for a 30-mile radius has been turned into a vast lake, dotted with mounds which are packed with refugees. Thousands of people have been washed away. The British area is submerged except for a strip along the Bund. In the Italian Concession the railway station alone escaped the deluge. British troops were called out and manned sampans, rescuing those in danger. The Japanese have igiven up the attempt to enforce the blockade, but are still delaying foreigners at the bridge barrier, preventing refugees from going to Peking. The food problem is very acute. FLOODS STILL RISING BRITISH HELP FOR REFUGEES (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrlgnt) (Received August 23, 3.15 p.m.) TIENTSIN, August 22 The floods are still rising. The British are distributing food to refugees. The municipality has requisitioned all stocks for distribution without profit. The flooded streets are filled with hundreds of craft of all kinds. Thousands of people are still marooned on the housetops. The water is from six to fifteen feet high throughout the Japanese concession, which is affected the worst. It is reliably reported that Chinese guerrillas, taking advantage of the situation, caused a number of serious llres affecting Japanese property at