Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-19
Dixie
RAISES FLOOD TOLL
Hundreds Perish When Yang
tie River Crashes Through
HankoW Protection.

BY the Associated Press,
HANKOW China, August 19-Flood
waters of the Yangtze River today broke
through the big Chiakow Dixie protect
ing Hankow's western suburb, inundat-
ing the native industrial district and
taking several hundred more lives.
Adding to the chaos of the last three
weeks, in which flood waters have
robbed some 10000, 900 persons of their
homes and left 10000 900 of them des-
titute, the renewed onslaught of the
river covered the highest ground in
Hankow under feet of water and the
lower areas 10 TO 20 feet under.
Epidemics More Serious.
Epidemics became more serious
among the refugees, who had nothing
to drink but flood water. Typhoid,
cholera and dysentery ragged unchecked
among the Chinese.
Industry in Hankow was demoralized.
Big -four. cotton and silk mills were
flooded when the dyke broke Such
confusion prevailed that it was impos-
sible to count the casualties
All foreigners were reported safe The
majority of foreign women had left or
were leaving on every available steamer.
Chinese were moving out by all other
disable channels Of travel Big river
junks were moving through what once
were streets, removing refugees and
valuables from homes and warehouses.
In Wuchang an important dixie burst
In the ancient city of Hanyang the
waters topped the gates of the city wall.
American on Hand.
Today's catastrophe here was wit
messed by John Earl Baker. American
relief expert and adviser to the Chinese
railway ministry, who is heading a
party surveying the stricken area The
flooded district includes the river bot
toms OF four provinces, Anhwei Hupeh,
Human and Honan.
Baker described the flood as probably
China's most terrible disaster in the
present century"
The Chinese government has organ
lied an extensive relief agency and has
issued a nationwide appeal for help
Inquiries have been made of the
American Farm Board looking toward
possible purchase of surplus American
wheat on credit for use among the
refugees.
Higher Than Monday.
The Yangtze River touched a level of
SO feet inches here today, ! inch
higher than the previous record level
of Monday.
Late Monday and Tuesday the
Yangtze began to recede. Then came
fresh importing from the north
through the Han River which empties
into the Yangtze here. More disasater
followed. A big dixie on the right bank
Of the Yangtze AZ miles down stream
collapsed flooding wide farming area
Until the last rise the dikes on the
right bank had held fairly well, keeping
q considerable area dry. However, along
the left bank. especially above here,
the bottoms were submerged as far as
the eye could reach Villages were in
undated entirely. Refugees were every
where, clinging TO ruined bikes and
other embellishments.
Calamity extended its grip even to
the lower Slang River, especially along
its left bank between Yochow and it's
confluence with the Yangtze All VIII
lagos and arabic lands along this
stretch were destroyed The Slang
finally receded. its food water passing
into the Yangtze.
Refugees Pack Streams.
All down-river steamers from Han
koW we're packed with refugees today
They had abandoned hopes Of saving
anything from their homes Evacua-
ton of Japanese women and children
was almost completed A few Ameri-
can and European women and children
remained in this vicinity, going to
Summer resorts in the nearby noun
tainS
Virtually all of Hankow was without
power, light and ice. The telephone
system broke Gown. Live high-tension
wires trailed across the water-swept
streets.
Reports here indicated conditions in
Hanyang and Wuchang, which are old
walled cities with narrow streets and
poorly constructed brick and rubble
houses, were worse than in buildings in
Hankow, Buildings in the older cities
were eollapsing, entrapping occupants
Authoritative foreign sources asserted
that despite the menace of epiaemics,
Chinese authorities had done nothing
in the way Of sanitation. Persistent
rumors Of threatened Communist at
tacks heightened the terriers for the
three cities
FLOOD AID LOAN PLANNED.