Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-12-21
2DOKN0WNDEAD
| IN QUAKE RAz|NC
SALVADOR TOWN
Government Rushes Relief
Forces to Stricken San
Vicente.
EPIDEMIC is FEARED
AS WATER is POISONED
Refugees Flee Before Eruption Of
Volcano Santa Rita South
west of Village.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
SAN SALVADOR, Ell Salvador, De-
cember 2l.-Oficials expressed fear to-
day of a mounting death toll in the
devastating earthquake which RACED
almost all San Vicente and killed at
least 200 persons over the week end
Persons arriving in San Salvador
from the stricken provincial capital
told stories of wholesale ruin, of shat
tered buildings and homes, and Of
rescuers digging out some 200 bodies
in the first few hours after the quake.
How high the deaths would reach no
one would estimate, but government
officials dispatched all relief available
to the area.
Accurate reports were made in
creasingly difficult to obtain because
of the disrupted communications be-
tween the quake area and San SAL
vador.
Telephone and telegraph lines were
ripped down by the quakes and infor-
nation could be had only from those
who fled inland from the scene.
Volcano Erupting.
The quake, which first struck the
sleeping city Of San Vicente Saturday
night, crashed in buildings and shook
the earth in villages nearby, eye-wit-
nesses said.
Refugees. with their families and
household belongings, fed along rural
roads trying to reach safety from the
ever-menacing volcano Santa Rita.
southeast Of San Vicente. which
some refugees said was erupting.
Adding to the fears of molten lava
pouring from the volcano over the
wrecked city was the specter of cpl
denies. Much of San Vicente,s sup
ply Of drinking water was poisoned by
| sulphur apparently exuding from the
smoking volcano after the quake.
Government officials, returning last
night from the disaster area, said the
widespread wreckage was impeding
rescue work and making virtually inn
possible any accurate estimate Of the
property damage and loss of life.
Among the neighboring villages
damaged. according to radio reports
last night. were Vera Paz, Guadalupe,
Apastepeque. Petitan, San Sebastian,
San Lorenzo and Pecoluca.
Red Cross Train Sent.
A special Red Cross train, with
rescuers and modern equipment, was
sent from San Salvador to San Vi
cente. Those returning from the scene
said the quake leveled all but one of
the citys main buildings.
Left standing, they said, was the
tower in Central Park, with the
hands Of its clock stopped at 10 min
utes to 10.
The President Of Salvador. Gen.
Maximiliano Hernandez Martinez, en-
trained for the scene to assume per-
sonal charge of the rescue work. Ac-
companying him was Minister of the
Interior Calderon.
Army and navy physicians and
nurses also were sent into the dew.
astated areas.
The first shocks of the earthquake
were felt at about 10 pm. They
diminished. refugees said. but began
again Sunday afternoon.
Residents who fed San Vicente said
the volcano had been active of late and
uneasiness had increased among the
inhabitants of the city lest it erupt.
The casualties were feared to be
numerous because of the construction
OF the citys dwellings. some of which,
however, had been built to be earth
quake proof"
Most of the houses are one or two
(See QUAKE, Page A-s.)