The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-07-01
COUNT OF FLOOD DEAD
BEGINS IN SOUTHWEST
~ RoeERT 4. JOHNSON JR

BY kO0Eks Ne SOFuNSSN SN
EAGLE PASS, Tex. @-At least
IS persons are dead in the Rio
Grande's most devastating flood
II history, but the death toll might
rise to disaster proportions today.
Across the river from here, at
miserable Piedras Negras, Mexico,
Il was feared hundreds may have
died in the collapsed adobe huts Of
the poor.
Of the counted dead, IS were at
Piedras Negras. Nearly 100 miles
north Of the river, at 0zona, Tex,
one of the flash floods which fed
Rio Grande's swollen stream Mon
day killed at least is others. An
other died in a Pecos River flood.
Upstream at Del Rio, Tex, and
Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, and down.
stream at Laredo, Tex, and Nuevo
Laredo, Mexico, there were few
casualties and no deaths from the
unprecedented flood. Adequate
warnings and other safeguards
plus organization paid off, officials
said.
Large numbers Of sick and in
jured were making their way to-
ward makeshift hospitals last night
IN Piedras Negras. Sixty-five in
iured were in q temporary medi-
cal shelter, and more moved in
every minute.
At least 5000 were homeless
and some 1000 refugees huddled
in the hills Of Coahuila with no shell
ter, no food and no water. About
% per cent Of the homes In the
city Of 5000 were flooded. Hak
Of those were destroyed as the
adobe brick crumbled in the flood.
Daylight-maybe tomorrow, per-
haps next week - may bring a
more startling toll Of death. But
the true death count conceivably
may never be known.
8 From what I hear, there may
be anywhere from 200 to 500 dead, /"
said H. G. Walker, us. Public
Health Service official here 10 help
IN rescue and rehabilitation.
Manuel Olivares, q lumberman
Of Piedras Negras, told the story
Of his city's tragedy with tears in
his eyes.
II heard hundreds crying for
help in the dark, but / couldn't
help them" he said. "You could
hear people shouting for help, but
YOU couldn't see them. You could
hear houses coNapsing, then
screams then nothing"
The next day, Olivares said, de.
struction was everywhere. There
were bodies in trees, some of them
tied In the upper branches, bodies
in piles Of debris, and some caught
on barbed-wire fences.
II believe there are lots of bodies
under the mud Of the adobe huts
and in the wreckage Of the
houses" he said.
US. Consul Charles Talifierro IN
Piedras Negras doubted a death
toll as high as 500 but added: "It
10 entirely possible"
There's no doubt that some DO.
dies we're washed down the river
and Wen never know how many, "
he said.
Although no dead were reported
at LAREDO, Associated Press report
er Dave Cheavens said there was
no water, no power and a short
age Of medical supplies at Nuevo
Laredo. There, too, homeless ref
ugees huddled In the hills where
the Pan-American Highway points
southwark.
Laredo, q city Of nearly 10000,
was isolated nearly all day yester-
day, but late In the day limited
traffic was allowed out of the city
over q state highway covered 5y
two feet Of water. By nightfall to-
night, It was expected that auto
traffic might be approaching nor
NAL.
The Red Cross began giving ty-
phoid injections to an estimated
5000 persons at Laredo. They were
from the 200 families forced from
their homes by the floodwaters.
Laredo had no municipal water
and was faced with a mounting
health problem. Mayor Joe C.
Martin hoped to turn on the water
today but said the river would have
10 drop five feet before anything
could be done. Such a drop seemed
out Of the question before late to-
night.
Meanwhile, the city was getting
water from an uncontaminated res
ervoir by Is busy tank trucks.