Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-10
STORM BROWNS 15O
AND SPREADS RUIN
IN SAXON VILLAGES
Rains Swell Rivers and Wave
Seven Feet High Creates
Wide Chaos.
HEALTH Is MENACEO
BY BODIES OF CATTLE
Property Damage Is Placed at So.
O,o0o-Reichstag Authorizes
Relief Measures.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
DRESDEN, Saxony, july o.-Fullv
Lou persons have lost their lives in q
great rainstorm flood in saxon,,
"Hlcn swept in wave feet high
ana threw towns and villages in the
aHected area into chaos in less than
three minutes.
Inc property damage today was es.
tlmated at 12,0OO,0 900 marks Gahou+
S2,o0O,OO0). The bodies of hundreds
OF cattle drowned in the flood were
reported to be menacing the health
OF the population in the inundated
regions.
In Tourist Area.
Inc stricken areas include two val.
leys in the favorite tourist district
along the Elbe and its tributaries. the
Mueglitz and Gottleuba Rivers I'm tba
so-calIeo Saxon Alps, with Pirna. well
hnown to American tourists as q
center, and including Glashuette. the
center of the celebrated German watch
INDUSTRY where a 4OO-year old stone
bridge, the pride Of the city. was
washed away. Rail traffic was com.
pieteiy paralyzed. Throughout the
area telephone communication was
being re-established today only with
great difficulty.
Inc disaster came so swiftly il was
impossible for many of the victims
10 take refuge on their housetops or
10 ma otner means OF escape.
Rivers Are Gorged.
The surrounding country for several
days had been under a low pressure
atmospheric blanket causing a rain.
ran which gorged the river Elbe and
lts tributaries to overfiowing.
IL Is estimated that it will take
elght months before dams can be re.
oulit to allow resumption of railway
service. The onrush OF water was so
powerful that roadbeds were washed
away IN many places so deeply that
the tracks at a distance seemed
strung in the air.
Heart-rending scenes zare enacted
everywhere and children today were
wandering in search of their parents.
While distracted relatives and friends
were trying to identify the victims of
what was the worst flood disaster TO
strike Germany this Summer, which
already has been filled with weather
catastrophes.
Reichstag Pledges Aid.
The Saxon government, which sent
tour cabinet members to the area and
the Reichstag at Berlin which, before
adjourning today authorized the gov.
ernment to render financial and other
assistance. are doing their utmost to
relieve the distress, while Saxon
police and federal troops, aided by a
technical emergency corps, are aiding
In salvage work.
Among several villages which were
carried away by the floods
was Oelsengrund.
The town of Berggiesshubel, which
was in the direct path of the storm.
was literally swept away.
More than so dead have been re-
covered from the ruins. The flood
reached height of 13 feet before 1t
receded. Refugees forced to flee from
their homes were up to their necks
in water before they were able to reach
a safety zone. Others who sought
safety on the tops Of houses expert.
enced a night of horror as the rushing
flood threatened the foundations.
Surprised In Sleep.
The inhabitants of outlying villages,
in their sleep, were drowned
without having an opportunity to
seek escape. This accounts for most
of the casualties.
Nothing remains Of the village of
where most Of the inhabit.
ants perished. Great masses Of lum.
Der from the sawmills smashed every.
thing in their path, causing enor.
nous damage.
The first indications of the coming
disaster were given at 8 o'clock Fri.
day night when calls for help came
from the burgomaster OF Gottleuba,
which was hit by cloudburst late In
the afternoon. Other calls reached
Dresden in the course OF the evening,
but the floods rose so rapidly that the
already was complete
when relief was sent.
1t is feared that many tourists are
among the victims.
Dispatches from Bodenbach report
thre persons drowned there and seven
at koenigSwalde.
The cloudburst also inundated
several German-Czech frontier towns.
Eulau and Koenigswalde report
.eet of water in the streets. The floods
swept away railway bridges, accord
ing to the same adYiceS