Omaha daily bee., 1920-12-20
Humid
Killed In [
Earthquake
Approximately $50 Dead al.
ready Taken From Ruins Of,
Argentine Towns-Worst
Shocks Since 1869. .,a
Citizens Panic. Stricken

Buenos Aires, Dec. 19,-Earth
quake shocks which. on Friday ait
crnoon, destroyed several towns
along the Argentine slope of the
Andes mountains, were the most SCI
we're experienced in this country
since 1869, when half the city oi
Mendoza was laid in ruins. Reports.
from the area where the shock was
heaviest indicate great loss of life.
and property, upwards of $50 bodics.
having already been taken from the
wrecks of buildings, b
At lresportenas, more than 100
perished. and at Costa de Araujo 81
were killed and 80 seriously injured,
1t is feared that more victims still
arc buried under the ruins in eacli
town. At TrSportenas. La Vallet
and La Central, not house was
left standing, and those not de-,
stroyed were left in badly damage,r
condition. No estimate of the total.
number of persons injured has ye,
been made.
People Panic-Stricken.
Minor shocks continue through
out the district, one particularly
strong tremor being felt yesterday
afternoon at $50 o'clock in the
towns OF San Martin and Rivadavia
The people are reported as being
panic-stricken. The city Of Men
doza was shaken, but did not suf-
fer any extensive damage.
y LII the town of Costa de Araujo
the seismic convulsion opeued great (
crevices out of which hot water is
spouting. The water from one o.
these geyscrs reached height o.
about $50 feet and formed pool in
which two persons were drowned. a
Red Cross ambulance has reached
the village and started to rescue any
sufferers who still may be alive III
the ruins.
More than $4,000 persons iAhabit
little towns along the eastern An
dean slope, and as reports continue
70 add to the list of casualties. APP
prehension is felt that the final fig
ures will be very high, Rescue par
ties have left Mendoza, b"t details
from the scene OF the disaster are
meagre. as telephone and telegraph
wires are badly disorganized.
The earth movement during the
t-emor was from the northwest to
southeast and a number OF small
shocks followed the principal con-
cussion which lasted so. seconds.
Fresh Shock Reported. i
The latest reports from Mendoza
coming il, tonight, said that the
shock at Tresportenas had assumed
the proportions OF catastrophe
Three relief trains have been rushed
to the town, from which SO dead and
as many dying have been brought
out. At Costa de Arario, which was
virtually isolated. anothers shock Of
the most violent character occurred
ats o'clock this morning.
At La Valle terrible scenes were
witnessed The relief work was
difficult, owing TO the conditions Or
TIE roads, which had been brokefi
no and covered with water. The
church at La Vale was laid III ruir,s
and the municipal building walit
we're cracked and the structures are
likely to fall at any moment.
The seismograph at the Mendoza
institute recorded three shocks OH
Friday, the first being at 3 p. r,as
1t was sudden and violent one.
without the slioht movement usual
" preceding. This lated Is seconds
The second movement ~fasted flv..
seconds and the third, 10 seconds
The vibration with lesser shocks
continued for 30 minutes afterwards.
= Shocks Reported at Toxic.
Toxic. Dec. 1S.-The most violent
earthquake that, has occurred since
seismographic observations cont
menced i'll Japan, took place Thurs
cay evening at Oil O'Clock. The
vibrations lasted two hours >and
were SO severe that the instruments
were unable to give perfect records.
1t is believed the convulsion took
place under the Pacific ocean or IN
the Cobb desert, central Asia. o.