A Great Earthquake

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 7, 1909

A Great Earthquake

The Most Terrible Disaster Ever Recorded — A Suggestion of the Coming Devastation of the Earth

Early on the morning of December 28, the southern portion of Italy and all of the island of Sicily were visited by the most disastrous earthquake that has ever been recorded. The extent of the disaster, so far as the loss of human life is concerned, will never be known. Each new despatch has confirmed earlier figures and adds to them. These despatches indicate that practically the whole of the island of Sicily has been devastated, while the effects of the shocks extend up the Italian peninsula a distance of one hundred fifty miles. The cities of Messina and Reggio (see map on first page) have been completely destroyed, with the majority of their inhabitants, while other cities and villages, such as Bagnara, Palmi, Pizzo, and San Giovanni, have suffered only a little less severely.

The principal shock occurred at five o’clock in the morning, and lasted about thirty-two seconds. Survivors state that the earth seemed to drop, and was then shaken with the most terrible violence. Buildings of all descriptions were hurled to the ground before the dazed, half-awakened inmates could realize what was happening. At Messina and Reggio a series of tidal waves followed the earthquake, engulfing portions of each city. The largest of these formed a solid wall of water over thirty feet high, which threw down buildings left by the earthquake, drowning those who had escaped from the wrecked buildings, and many of those pinned down by fallen walls and broken timbers. Near the railroad station, it is reported, a great fissure eighty feet wide opened in the earth, and from this gushed up boiling water, which caused the death of many spared by the earthquake. The principal tidal wave sank many vessels and carried others on its crest as it went roaring upon the city. The breaking of gas-mains caused fires to spring up, which added to the horror of the situation, as the breaking of water-mains, the wrecking of fire stations, and the choking of the streets conspired to render it impossible to subdue the flames. Thousands were pinned down in the ruins of buildings, whose death was made certain by the onrush of the flames. Fire, water, and earth had combined to make a situation impossible to imagine in all its terrible details, much less to describe. For days piteous appeals for help could be heard coming up from the heaps of debris, where wounded persons were pinned down by fallen masonry or broken timbers. With all the help possible to muster, it was impossible to release these unfortunates before many of them had died from their wounds or from hunger, exposure, and fear.

As soon as possible the king and queen of Italy visited the devastated cities, and assisted with their own hands in the work of rescue. The government at once despatched several thousand soldiers to the scene of disaster to aid in the work of rescue, and in maintaining order. English and Russian war-vessels were soon lending what aid they could in feeding, sheltering, and giving medical attention to the survivors, and in extricating those imprisoned by the fallen buildings. The heart of the whole world has been touched by the sufferings which this calamity has brought to the people of Italy. Ships of different nations are rushing to the rescue, bearing provisions, clothing, and other means of help, and contributions are pouring in to the various Red Cross societies in all parts of the world to be forwarded to the stricken people. The supply ship “Celtic” of the United States Navy, which was loaded with fifteen hundred thousand rations for the American fleet, was despatched at once to Italy to place these rations and a great quantity of clothing in the hands of the earthquake sufferers. The supply ship “Culgoa” will also carry a shipload to the sufferers.

The latest estimate places the loss of life at two hundred thousand, and the property loss at one billion dollars; but the suffering which such figures stand for, and which is still going on, it is impossible to depict in words.

It would seem that in this cataclysm this old earth is demonstrating on a comparatively small scale the conditions that will exist in the last days, when “there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places,” “the sea and the waves roaring.” All these conditions are striking features of the Italian earthquake. The roaring sea helped in the work of ruin, and hunger and thirst have added to the death list. We have only to cast the eye backward a few years to cover a remarkable record.—Kingston, Valparaiso, San Francisco, and St. Pierre.—“divers places,” and fearful warnings of what awaits the close of this generation. While these are warnings to a part of earth’s inhabitants, to another part they are an added incentive to faithfulness and zeal in proclaiming the last great gospel message to a doomed world.