The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-05-14
DEATH AND RUIN
I IN S|C|L|AN QUAKE
Series of TrembIores Bring Dis
aSter on East Coast. .
KILLED MAY TOTAL 200
Score Of Towns and Villages Wiped
Out and People Are Left Home.
less-Fire Adds to
Horror.

Rome, May IA series of earth
quakes rivaling in violence the dis.
turbance which overwhelmed Messina
and Calabria in 1908 visited the east
coast of Sicily.
According to incomplete reports re.
ceived here, there are between 100
and geo persons dead as a result of the
disturbance and more than 1000 ia.
jured.
A large section Of the territory has
not been inspected and 1t is feared
that weeks will pass before the full ex-
tent of the disaster can be ascertained,
as 1t is believed many peasants are
buried under their homes in the iso-
lated country districts.
Wide District Is Wrecked.
The affected zone extends from Zaf-
farana, the highest village on Mount
Etpa, to the sea between Aci Reale, on
the south, and Giarre, on the north. 1t
includes Linera, the center of the dis
turbance. Pisano and Santa Venerina
In Linera alone ITO persons we're
killed and 800 injured. Where Linera
stood Is a mass of ruins. Those houses
which did not collapse entirely were
so broken as to emphasize the COM
pleteness of the disaster. The village
consisted of about eight hundred
inhabitants. In the village of Bon
giardo Is dead and q injured have
been taken from the ruins. At
Cosentini, 16 were killed and many
injured. These villages and many
smaller places were practically lev
eled. At Passopomo, IL persons
were killed, at Malati, q; at Santa
Veneri, six; Santa Tecla, two; Santa
Maria Vergine, eight; Garbati, four.
Fire Adds to Disaster.
Refugees declare that the property
loss is as great as in the Messina dis
aster.
Railroad tracks, were torn up,
churches RACED, houses shaken to ruin.
and telegraph poles overturned over
a radius of several miles around Ca.
tania.
According to refugees, Are in some
places completed the work of destruc
ton and hindered the efforts of the
rescuers. ......,..
Natives Flee In Terror.
The enormous force of the earth
quake was evident everywhere. and
the entire district presented spec
tacle of desolation, ruin and de tn.
Peasants rushed to meet ar auto
mobile, imploring aid. From the de-
bris agonizing cries could be heard.
Others asked that their injured rela.
tives be transported to Catania, as all
train service has been abandoned
owing to the collapse of bridges,
broken tracks and obstructed tunnels.
Near the central point of the dis
turbance dozens of bodies were OBJ
served lying along the road. Heart
rending lamentations arose on all
sides, and the injured lay in the open
awaiting assistance, which has been
sent to them.
The soldiers and others engaged in
rescue work risked their lives on many
occasions in the search for those
buried benath the ruins. Portions of
undermined walls and shaky roofs fell
on them at every turn.
King Victor Emmanuel was at break.
fast with the queen when the report OF
the earthquake was brought to- him.
His majesty Immediately gave orders
that financial aid be sent and that the
army and navy assist in succoring the
injured Queen Helena wished to leave
for the scene at once on board a war
ship, but the king persuaded her to re-
main in Rome for the present.
Latest OF Many Disasters.
The vicinity of Catania probably has
suffered more than any other section
in the world from volcanic eruptions
and earthquakes. Catania itself is
built on a bed of lava at the foot of
the volcano OF Etna, and most of its
streets are paved with lava.
In the earthquake and tidal wave at
Messina and Calabria on December rs,
1908 official figures gave the number
Of deaths at 1928, but 1t was unoffi.
cially estimated that from 10000 to
100000 people lost their lives.
The damage to public and private
property amounted to about $1,000,
100000.