Evening star., 1928-12-02
122 DIE IN QUAKE
IN SOUTHERN CHILE,
OVER ESQ INJURED
TaIca and ChiIIan Hardest
Hit-Dozen Other Towns
Report Casualties.
FORTY DEAD, 200 HURT
TOLL IN FORMER CITY
Martial Law Is Proclaimed-Tor-
rent Loosed on Valley as
Reservoir Breaks.
~ the Associated Press.

earthquake which rocked Southern
Chile early today reached 122 tonight
with more than 60 other deaths re-
ported in unofficial dispatches. Tht
government announced that there hac
been more than $50 injured.
The cities of Talca and Chillan suf'
fered most, although casualties were
reported from dozen other towns witt
destruction of property in many others
In Talca the official count was AZ
dead and 200 injured. The conductor
of the first train to come from thai
city. however, estimated the dead al
so. Martial law was proclaimed in the
city and demolition of tottering ruin:
was begun to prevent further casualties
Fire Destroys Hospital.
The minister of war few to Talca tc
take charge of matters while q special
train rushed supplies and physician:
and nurses. The hospital there ha6
been destroyed by fire.
The Government announced that II
were killed and 80 injured at Chillan
where so houses were destroyed A total
of 40 killed and more than 100 injured
vas officially reported at the Barahons
camp of the Teniente Mine Of the Bra
den Copper Co.. where the shock broke
reservoir and loosed torrent down
the valley.
Five dead and four injured were off,
cially reported from Peleguen and six
dead from Santa Cruz, although the un-
ofncial list showed 13 dead in the latter
town. There were five dead in Quinta
and two others in Curico.
At Curepto four were killed and Seg-
eral wounded. while at Lincsnten three
were killed, six seriously injured and IL
slightly hurt.
There was no confirmation as yet OF
reports from Talca that 40 prisoners
escaped from the penitentiary after the
earthquake. Martial law there had
prevented any disorders or looting.
Cathedral in Ruins.
A hospital and dispensary at Temucc
we're wiped out and the cathedral al
I,inares is in ruins. The Port of Cpn.
cepcin reported two injured and con.
siderable property damage. The Port
of Tome suffered slight damage tc
houses.
The government has authorized funds
to enable the afflicted localities to meei
the situation President Ibanez, whc
was touring in Southern Chile, an
nounced that he would visit the Stricker
district to inform himself of its needs
~
shed at Curico the bodies OF a woman
and her baby had been recovered, bu
it was feared others were burned In the
debris The poorer section OF that towT
was particularly devastated. Among
the large buildings to suffer was th'
Bank Of Chile.
Several Hurt in Rush.
The railroad station at Tinguiriric;
was destroyed.
Santiago and Valparaiso were onl!
slightly damaged, but several persons
were injured in the panic-stricken ruSl
of the populace for the open air whel
the quake woke them from sleep.
Martial law was proclaimed at Tale;
and the minister of war haStened ther
by airplane Special trains with troop
and relief supplies were started for tn
stricken zone. A war ship was ordere'
from Talcahuano to Constitution u
render aid.
The earth tremorS recurred for
period of three hours, although onl!
the most severe was felt in the capital
The center was believed to have beel
near Talca.
Houses Swept Away.
The torrent from the broken reservoi
of the mining camp swept away house
md their occupants as 1t raced dow
he valley toward Cachapoai. tn
reservoir held water used in Washing
he ore from the copper mines.
Warnings were sent to the village
down the valley, including Rio Abajc
Although structures along the rive
bank in Cachpapoal were swept ava,
and silt was heaped high in the lowe
BART of the town by the raging stream
he authorities believed that tnei
emergency measures will keep the no'
N check.
The authorities of Rancagua, tn
eapitaI Of the province, and httl
over in the valley, took measures 7
prevent the fouled water from enterln
he reservoirs of drinking water at tina
boint and others in the vicinity.
Advice Fragmentary.
While the government UonlgnC We
making every effort to determined tn
extent of the catastrophe in order t
aid the stricken inhabitants, 1t coul
OBTAIN only fragmentary advices owe
roundabout routes due to the almoS
total breakdown in telegraph and tele
phone communications within the al
fected region.
The area affected most seriously
The shocks lies in the south centra
oortion of this narrow country, betwee
The Andes and the Pacific, and Stretche
nom Rancagua, which is 81 miles fror
here, to towns about 200 miles TO tn
south.
The people of Chile are no stranger
10 earthquakes. In 1905 large pal
bf Valparaiso was reduced to ruins an
several thousands persons were killed.
Whole Towns Destroyed.
The most recent severe earthqual
vas that of November, 1922, which de
troved whole towns in Southern Chi
While tidal waves engulfed the seaport
rhe uuakes lasted for hours, the tidi
waves not occurring until about tv
hours after the main disturbance.
The u. S. S. Cleveland. which toda
anded Herbert Hoover at Guayaqui
Ecuador, for a goodwill visit, IN l92
With the American warshlp Denver, WE
1lshed to Chile with relief supplies troi
he Canal Zone as soon as Presider
Harding heard of the disaster. II
American Red Cross also assisted IN tE
aljef and rehabilitation.