The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-12-20
EARTHQUAKE WIPES
OUT VILLAGES
MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED
PERIHsED IN TRESPoRTENAS
AND THIRTY VICTIMS RE.
PORTED IN COSTA DE ARAU.
10 PRACTICALLY ALL BUILD
INcs DESTROYED IN, SEVER
AL PLACES

Buenos Aires, Dec. 1S.-Earth-
ouake shocks which on Friday after
neon destroyed several towns along
the Argentine slope Of the Andes
mountains were the most severe ex,,
narienced in this country SINCE
1869 when half the city of MENDOZA
was laid in ruins. Reports from the
area where the shocks were heaviest
indicate great loss of life and prop
erty, upwards Of 1ao bodies having
been already taken from the wrecks
of buildings. .-"-.
At Tresportenas more than loo
nerished and at Costa de Araujo ~
more were killed. 1t is feared that
more victims still are buried under
the ruins in each town. Only few
houses remain at Tresportenas, La
Vale and La Central, and they are
in badly damaged condition. No es-
innate of the number Of persons IN
jured has yet been made.
Minor shocks continued through
ont the district, one particularly
strong tremor being felt yesterday
afternoon at $50 o'clock in the
towns of San Martin and RivadaVla.
The people are reported as being
panic stricken. The city of Mendoza
was shaken but did not suffer any
extensive damage. >.... .:.:~
Creates Geysers
In the town of Costa de Arujo the
seismic convulsion opened great
erevices out of which hot water is
spouting. The water from one is
these geysers reached a height OF
about Is feet mad formed a pool in
which two persons were drowned. A
Red Cross ambulance has reached
the village and set to work to rescue
any sufferers who still may be
alive in the ruins.
More than 10000 persons inhabit
little villages along the eastern An
dean slope and as reports continued
to add to the long list of casualties
apprehension is felt that the final
figures will be very high. Rescue
parties have been sent from Mendo-
"a, but details from the scene Of the
disaster are meagre as telephone
and telegraph wires are badly disor-
ganized.
The earth movement during the
tremor was from the northwest to
southeast and a number of small
shocks followed the principal con-
cussion which lasted 80 seconds.
The latest reports from Mendoza
said that the shock at Tresportenas
had assumed the proportions Of a
catastrophe. Three relief trains have
been rushed to the town from which
80 dead and as many dying have
been brought out. At Costa de
ssAranjo, which was virtually isolated
another shosR of the most violent
character occurred at s:t3elock this
morning. The death list was in
creased by those reports to 81 so
far counted in Costa de Araujo,
with 80 seriously injured.
Relief Comes Slowly
At La Vale terrible scenes were
witnessed. The relief work was most
difficult, owing to the condition Of
the roads, which had been broken
up mad covered with water. The
church at La Vale was laid in
ruins and the municipal buildings
walls were cracked and the struc-
ture was likely to fall at any mo-
ment.
The seismograph at the Mendoza
institute recorded three shocks on
Friday, the first beginning at 3 p.
m. It was a sudden and violent one
without the slightest movements
usually proceeding. This lasted Is
seconds. The second movement last
ed five seconds and the third 10 Sec
onds. The vibrations with lesser
shocks continued for 80 minutes af-
terwards.