New-York tribune., 1922-11-13

Shock Is Felt for 1,200
Miles; List of Victims
Expected 10 Mount as
Remote Regions Report
Waves 50 Nfeters
High Lash Coast
Ships Carried 5 Blocks
inshore; F.; Government to
Provide Prompt Relief

SANTIAGO, Chile, Nov. IL (By
The Associated Press With par
| ti2l re-estsblishment Of commun;-
cations Chile's earthquake catastrc-
! phe is revealed in even greater lr..g-
nitude than first reports Indicated.
1t is estimated that at least 900
are dead and many thousands are III
distress, needing food and shelter.
In addition TO heavy casualties Of
dead and injured at Copiapo and Co
/ quinlbo it was reported today that
500 were killed in vallenar and the
surrounding district. Vallenar was
virtually destroyed and the sur
vivors are in critical condition. It
seems certain that there have been
casualties in other towns and vii,
lagos around Copiapo, TO the south,
concerning which no news is yet
available.
Twenty-four Bodies Found at Coqulmbo
Already twenty-four bodies have
been recovered at Coquimro, where it
is known there are 100 or more dead.
At Chanaral number were killed by
falling houses.
Advices from Antofagasta report
that the effects of the tidal wave at
Huasco were terrible, the sea carry
ing away everything along the wate,-
front and many boats being LETT
stranded in the woods more than q
mile inland.
Severe earth. shocks were felt in
Aricas in the Province OF racna. che
sea rising about five feet above high
water mark, but no serious damage or
loss of life in that section is re-
ported
1t was an earthquake and tidal wave
combined that accounted for the vast
destruction in the provinces of Anto-
fagasta, Atacama and Coquimbo. The
movement of the ocean is described
as phenomenal. It gave evidence of a
terrific disturbance in the bed of the
Pacific itself. There must have been
such tearing at the bottom of the
sea that immense quantities of water
were sucked through, causing
tremendous reces ion of the waters
along the Chilean coast.
Several times the ocean swept out
ward and came back in the shape of
great wave, flooding the seaports and
in some instances sweeping away the
water front. The violent effects OF tho
tidal waves were felt from Antofagasta
on the north to Valdiyidia on the
south, covering about sixteen degrees
Of latitude, or more than 1,200 niles.
Vessels in Ports Destroyed
All types of craft lying in the
various harbors we're swept on shore,
wrecked or lett high and dry, and at
scores of small ports wharves and
quays we're destroyed Chilean naval
vessels in the haroor at Talcahuano,
about 300 miles south of Valparaiso.
when they felt the force of the waters.
slipped their cables and proceeded out
to the open sea.
President Alessandri has ordered the
various government departments TO
take all measures possible for the re-
lief OF the sufferers IN the stricken
districts, those most sorely afflicted
lying between Coquimbe and Copiapo.
The Navy Department has sent ships
along the coast to aid in the work.
COQUIMBo, Chile, Nov. IL {By The
Associated Press}.-The port of Co
quinbo was awakened at 1855 O'Clock
Friday night by violent earthquakes
and in q few minutes the populacs
was running about the streets in terror.
only partially clothed and seeking tho
nearby hills. The panic was increased
when the electric lights went out in
some parts of the town.
Coincident with the shocks the sky
was illuminated by electric discha sges
and fires broke out. After the first
shocks the sea receded far q consid-
cradle distance and then swept hack
in an immense wave, extending from
Coquimbo to La Serena, seven miles TO
the northeast, flooding the town and
the whole coast line and doing much
damage.
Ships Thrown fnshore Five Blocks
The tidal wave added to the terrors
OF the people, many of whom cried out
for aid. Again the sea receded for 3
distance of 800 yards beyond the low
/ tide mark, then seemed to gather force
and came back in an immense wave es-
tinlated at fifty meters in height, which
completely destroyed the Baauedano
quarter. A number of big lighters were
picked up like chips and carried beyond
the railway bridge, which is FIVE blocks
from the low tide mark.
VALPARAISO, Chile, Nov. 12. {Hy
I The Associated Press).--A curious
feature of the earthquake was the
tidal wave which occurred two hours
, later, indicating q terrific disturbance
{ beneath the Pacific. The waters were
first sucked away from the coast and
then hurled back. This phenomenon
, was repeated FIVE times at Antofagasta
before the equilibrium Of the sea was
restored. A similar occurrences took
place at other points.
Rear Admiral Martin, director Of this
Navy Meteorological Service, discus
! sing the earthquake, said it was sig
nificant that it had occurred Just as
$ the conjuactions of Mercury and Jupi-
, ter and Neptune and the sun were ap-
r preaching The conjunction OF Mercury
+ and Jupiter occurred at $50 Saturday
!. morning and the other some hours
afterward.