Imperial Valley press., 1929-11-22
COASTAL
DISASTER
REVEALED
First Details OF Havoc
BY Mondays Tidal Wave
In Newfoundland.
VILLAGE DESTROYED
Two Score Killed When
Marine Storm Follows
Earthquake. j
By J. T. HEANEY
'nited Press Staff Correspondent) }


81. JOHNS, y. f., Nov. 22. U.H-
The complete story of Monday
nights devastation by earthquake
and tidal wave along the southeast
,rn coast of Burin Peninsula, des-
cribing the deaths of women and
children swept away by wall of
water which crushed their homes,
was brought here by the United
Press today by motorboat from
Eurin.
Preceding many relief vessels con
verging on the cliff guarded town,
the motorboat visited Burin and the
stricken villages along the coast
southwark. A death toll of 40 was
listed as follows:
Purin. 9: Port Aux Bras, I; La
malinc (ineluding Point Aux GauD,
l6; Lords Cove and Kelley's Cove,
., and Taylor's Bay. 3.
The motorboat party found chaos,
tragedy and distress everywhere
they penetrated along the rocky
coast from Burin southwark to the
village Of Lamaliue, on the southern
most tip of the finger of land which
juis out in the Atlantic from the
mainland of Newfoundland.
II will be days before actual re-
lief work can get under way. All
means of communication are para
lived, cables, telegraph and teic-
phone lines have been broken by
the earth tremor, the center of which
was only Il few hundred miles from
the peninsula. Homeless and with
out fuel, the villagers even are
without means of communication by
boat, the tidal wall of water having
swept away hundreds of dorics and
skiffs.
The stretch of coast from BURN
southward was hardest hit. The
French islands Of 81. Pierre and
Miquclon apparently escaped dam
age AS did the western coast of the
peninsula.
Double Disaster
From eye witnesses at Burin, n
town of $500, the most graphic
.,ries of the disaster were OBJ
tanned. Their stories dated from
$3.50 p. M. Monday when the entire
peninsula was rocked by the earth
tremor Barely recovering from the
earth shock which in itself did con.
iderable damage, the villagers were
seated at dinner when the tidal
wave, created by the tremor, struck
the coast with terrifying force.
II was shortly after o'clock
when the tidal wave struck Burin.
The first warning of the disaster
was a roar of breaking seas mount
ing the cliffs which guard the city
ut the little inlet. Again the fright
cned villagers ran from their homes.
In the darkness they saw a foam
capped wall of water advancing on
them like a moving mountain.
Many were paralyzed by fear
and could not move with the others
in the exodus from the lower see
tions of the town to the higher
points. Children were lost in the
panic and many were trapped in
their homes as the water crushed
the small frame dwellings and ear
Iicd them back into the sea.
So fast did the wave sweep over
the shore that many of those flee
ing for safety were overtaken and
carried out. Men risked their lives
to rescue women and children cling
ing to wreckage. Darkness prevent
cd the rescue of many who might
nave been saved. Electric trans
mission had been broken with the
first advance of the wave.
Island Isolated
Small boats and schooners, lifted
from their anchorage, Were dashed
upon tile shore, crashing against
buildings. Piers and wharves were
lifted clear from their foundations
and hurled with tremendous force
against the dwellings on the shore.
Tho terror of the dwellers was
accentuated by screams that the
island was sinking.
With all means of communication
disrupted, the town was unable to-
send out word of its plight. Morn
ing brought gale which defeated
the brave attempts Of several par-
ties to reach adjacent settlements
In motorboats.
The gale intensified the suffering
Of the shelterless families. The dis
rress was made greater by the loss