Tidal Waves Washes Away P. & T. Office

Tidal Waves Washed Away P. & T. Office – Karachi, Thursday, November 29, A.P.I.- The tidal waves that followed the earthquake yesterday appears to have left a trail of destruction along the inaccessible and sparsely inhabited fishing coast of Makran. The wave claimed as the biggest ever seen in recent time rose as high as twenty feet. The sea-water is said to have rushed into the town of Pasni, a small port on the Makran coast and washed away a “good number of people”. According a report received by the Director of Posts & Telegraph (Sind), the tidal wave washed away the post and telegraph office, and other Government buildings including the rest house. Three bodies were recovered from under the debris.

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Tidal wave takes toll of large number of lives; Fishing village near Karachi washed away : Entire family lost in Bombay – Karachi, November 29, A.P.I. – Reports from various sources about yesterday’s tidal wave indicate extensive damage along the Makran coast, with considerabe loss of life. Near Khudi, a fishing village 30 miles west of karachi, a whole hamlet of a few huts was washed away with their inhabitants. Twelve fishermen taking shelter in a raised ground at Dabo creek also lost their lives and some of the bodies were recovered. Similar reports are received from various points along the coast.

In Gulf of Oman. Loss of life is also reported from the Gulf of Oman. Many country crafts are said to have been lost on the south Persian coast along with several boatmen. Pasni and Ormara small low-level towns along the Makran coast, are under water and telegraph communications by cable to these two places have been cut off. The cable from Karachi to Muscat is also interrupted and it is feared that the interruption indicates damage caused by the earthquake and tidal wave. Many boatmen who attempted to tow down their boats were swept away along with their boats. Some fissures also occurred near the town. Damage at Lighthouses. A graphic description of the effects of the tidal wave was given by Mr. W. E. Bushby, Chairman of Karachi Port Trust, in an interview to the Associated Press of India. The eighty feet lighthouse at Manora was rocked violently for several seconds. After the shocks, the crew upon the lighthouse found that considerable quantity of mercury on which some of the delicate machinery floats was spilled over the tray on the concrete floor. When swept up during the course of the morning the weight of the spilled mercury was found to be over 30 pounds. Another lighthouse has ben damaged at Cape Monze, 45 miles from Karachi and the tower sustained some cracks. About 22 pounds of mercury was spilled here.

Four tidal waves. The tidal wave which appeared to have come from the direction of the village of Ghizri and Clifton ran along the side of the oil installations at Keamari, flooding certain adjoining compounds in that area and eventually burst over the shore end of the East Groyne at Manora. Thedamage to this groyne due to this tidal wave is in a length of about 400 feet. The first tidal wave affecting the harbor took place at 5/30 a.m.. The second and bigger one took place at 7 a.m. There was a third wave at about 7-50 a.m. followed by the biggest at about 8-15 a.m. It was fortunate that the maximum tidal wave took place about a hundred minutes after the normal have been ebbing. The after effects of the maximum tidal wave produced a very strong ebbing current of between four and five knots. There was however no damage to boats and port installations in Karachi.

Several deaths on Bombay coast – Bombay, Thursday, November 29 – Four women and one man, all fisherfolk, were overtaken while fishing in knee-deep water at the mouth of the Versove creek, at the northern end of Juhu, and were washed away within the twinkling of the eye. The dead bodies of three women were picked up later. The body of the man could not be traced.

Entire family lost. Exactly at the same moment, an entire Muslim family, consisting of one Rahimtulla, his wife, three children and two servants, was swept away while returning from Haji Ali “darga” at Mahalaxmi. Only one servant reached the shore to narrate the incident. He reported that three other men, proceeding towards the mosque, had been also swept away. The wave in a minor form was noticed in some parts of Bombay harbor, but no serious damage reported.

Another body found. The body of a member of Rahimtoolah’s family four of whom were swept off by yesterday’s tidal wave was washed ashore yesterday evening. The deceased is a Muslim female aged about 35. She was, however not identified till this afternoon.