Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-28
SHOCKS DESTROY
TOWNS IN ITALY
Violent Earthquake Visits
Southern Provinces.
LOSS OF LIFE Is GREAT
Two Cities and Many Villages in
Calabria Badly Damaged.
LAND SINKS INTO THE SEA
Tidal Wave Sweeps Over Port Of
Catalania-Center of Shock
in Sicily.
LOSS OF LIFE is GREAT
Two Cities and Many Villages in
Calabria Badly Damaged.
LAND SINKS INTO THE SEA
Special Cablegram to The Star.

Special Cablegram to The Star.
ROME, December 2S-There was a vio-
lent earthquake in Calabria early this
morning. The loss, both of life and prop
erty, is believed to be large. and it is
feared that at least two towns are de-
stroyed.
The earthquake occurred at o'clock in
the morning, the shock asting for thirty
two seconds. according to the record on
the instruments here.
Along the coast extensive areas of low
lying land sank into the sea. The earth
quake was accompanied by a heavy rain.
which continued the greater part of the
day throughout southern Italy.
The news thus far received Is fragment
airy and contradictory, and 1t is inlpossi-
BILE for the authorities to obtain any thing
exact upon which to make an estimate of
the extent of the disaster. The telegraph
lines over a portion of the district where
the damage was most serious are down.
The government has dispatched troops to
the scene.
The Calabrian provinces affected are
Catanzaro. Cosenza and Regio di Gala
brla- The most serious damage Is in Ca
tanzaro. The villages which are the most
heavy sufferers are in general the same
ones which received the brunt of the Sc
we're QuakeS of September, 1905. 1t is
feared that the villages of Stefaniconi and
Santonofrio are tOta iy destroyed. Heavy
damage is reported from Mieto. in Regio
dl Calabria, a town of about 1000 popula-
tion: from Borgia, which was totally de-
stroyed by earthquake in 17S3; from San
vito. and from Nicotera, an important
market village near the Gulf of Gioja.
City of Pizzo Cut OF.
Talo nh;
ly cut off with Pizzo. on the Gulf Of Santa
Eufemia. town of nearly 10000. which
was wrecked by the earthquake OF 1905.
and it is feared that the damage there is
very large. Reports from villages not
far from Pizzo are to the effect that there
was considerable loss of life there and
that the old Pizzo castle, a spot Of great
historic interest as the scene of the exc
cution of Marat. was destroyed. The
castle has for long time been little more
than a ruin. however.
1t is also reported that the town of
Tropea. in the province OF Catanzaro, at
the southern extremity Of the Gulf of
Santa Eufemia, is badly damaged.
Throughout Calabria, the quake seems
The inhabitants, panic stricken, crowded
into the streets Of the villages, despite the
heavy rain which flooded the streets.
Killed in Their Beds.
The shock was most intense. it appears,
in the smaller villages. Although it is
certain that several persons were killed
and number injured, the authorities do
not believe that the loss of life will be as
great as some of the rumors which reach
them from the south would indicate. Ac-
cording to these reports, those killed and
injured were for the most part persons
who were asleep in their homes when the
shock came. Their houses coilapsed
burying them in the ruins.
In several of the towns where troops
were stationed, guarding convicts, the
latter mutinied and a number OF them
escaped.
Sicilian Towns Suffer.
Sicilian towns suffered severely from
the earthquake and buildings at Caltanis
setts and Mineo were cracked and many
tumbled down. The Inhabitants, directly
after the shock. fled into the open coun-
try.
The shock at CatanIa, Sicily. lasted for
twenty seconds, and was accompanied
with an upheaval of the Gulf of Catania,
causing damage TO the vessels in the
harbor. The Swedish steamer Asia, the
Austrian steamer Budatwo and the ItaI-
ian steamer. Orseolo. were among the
vessels damaged.
The premier, Signor Giovanni Giolitti,
has subscribed S4.UOO to the relief fund
for the sufferers.
Center in Sicily.
The center Of the earthquake appears
to have been in Sicily and the greatest
loss Of life and property occurred on this
island. The reports are as yet incomplete
but the people everywhere were thrown
into a condition Of panic.
At Caltanissetta, Sicilian town Of 3d.
shaken down and the Inhabitants fled
for safety to the streets. Vast crowds
gathered In the parks and the churches
are filled. AT Mineo, a small town, 1Oo
miles southwest of Catania, several houses
collapsed and the scenes of panic We're
repeated.
AT Agosta, in the province of Syracuse
two churches and several houses were
demolished, but no lives were lost The
prisoners in the local Jail made their es-
cape and dashed through the praying
crowds on the streets for liberty There
were shocks also at Lindua Glossa. Santa
Saverina and Noto. all in Sicily.
The latest reports from Calabria say
sons have been removed from the ruins
of Stefanconi. Soldiers have been called
in to carry on the work OF succor. The
troops have been ordered also to tear
down damaged buildings in order to mini
mize the danger from falling walls
Sixty persons are saids 10 have Sus-
tanned injuries at San Nofrio and the
population is camping out In the open
air. The troops everywhere are engaged
in the work of rescue.
TIDAL WAVE IN SICILY.