Henderson daily dispatch., 1946-12-21
Damage Very Heavy
As Quake Causes
Huge Tidal Wave

TOKYO-(AP)- violent earth
quake-possibly the worlds heav-
icst-and the severe tidal wave it
erupted off Wakayama Peninsula
Saturday wreaked death and
destruction over $4,000 square
miles of southern Japan.
U. S. Army and Japanese sources
released these fragmentary re-
ports:
500 Japanese dead.
6l2 Japanese injured.
AZ Japanese and one British oc-
cupatin soldier missing.
$500 homes destroyed.
9,044 homes heavily damaged.
1900 dwellings flooded.
500 fishing vessels destroyed.
An early estimate that probably
200 Japanese were killed-based
on a report that 200 families at
kochi were wiped out'--was dis
regarded later as Army and Japan
csc sources compiled their reports
OF known casualties.
Town Washed Away
Kushimoto, a fishing town OF TO-
600 on the southern tip of Wakay-
anna peninsula-at the southeast
crn tip of Honshu-was reported
washed away by seven-foot waves.
Fire destroyed one third of Shin
gu, on the east coast OF Honshu.
and U. S. Army filters said flames
/ still were visible there this after
noon.
| The temblor was recorded at
APO am. t2:20 pm. Friday, EST
FOL
every half hour.
| Damage extended from the
Northern coast OF Kyushu through
Shikoku and north to Shizouka
prefecture on Honshu. Kyodo news
agency said the wrecked area ex-
tended $40 miles at its longest
and GO miles wide.
Osaka, Japan's second-largest
city. reported IA killed. heavy pro-
perty damage and water three
feet deep in some sections.
I The famous cities OF Goto and
Nara, both former Japanese CAPT.
tails near Osaka, appeared to have
escaped any but minor damage.
Both escaped bomb damage during
the war.
3 Days Rations
The L. S. Military government
said Osaka has five days food
rations for $4,000 people. Large
quantities of imported grain re-
Gently were released to Japanese
at Kobe. Authorities said they
considered the food situation good
AT both places.
However, L. s. military officials
said il may he necessary TO supply
stricken areas on the Wakayama
peninsula by boat because OF COM
munications descriptions.
Although concern was expressed
ShikoIu Island. Army officers said
, no outside help would be needed.
Americans Escape
: American and British occupation
= forces presumably escaped with
, only one Casualty-onc unidentified
: British soldier missing from Milo
although the British were in the
center OF the quake area. British
, headquarters at kure. 40 miles
, west Of Osaka, was damaged.
| The seven-foot tidal wave which
inundated the southwestern coast
D. OF Wakayama peninsula and struck
] heavily at the southern coast OF
Shikoku was reported to have
, caused the major damage.
! Railroads and commune tons
were snarled. electric. telephone,
, telegraph and railroad lines. parti-
cularly on the northern shores OF
the Inland Sea, were cut in many
} places. Numerous communities
/ were isolated
The fishing ton OF Ushimoto
on the southern tip Of Wakayama,
with a population OF 10000, was
reported washed away. One med
ium sized city was rcorted afire.
+, kyodo said 2.483 dwellings we're
D destroyed, more than $500 were
4 heavily damaged and 10 indus
D trial plants were destroyed. 1t re-
! ported more than 1000 dwellings
! flooded.