Solomons

Bad 'Quake In

Damage in Guadalcanal District

THE most severe earthquake yet re corded at Cape Marsh and on the adjacent Guadalcanal Coast, in the British Solomon Islands, occurred on Sunday, April 30, last.

The shock, which was followed by a tidai wave, reached its greatest force at about 2 p.m.

All the plantations on Cape Marsh sunered considerable damage. With the exception of Mr. Carlton Younger’s plantation of Nono, and Yandina, the property of the Malayta Co., Messrs, severs Pacific Plantation Pty. Co. con trol the cultivated areas in the district.

The greatest damage was done to the buildings on the shore, though all suf fered more or less.

At West Bay, nothing was left of either the ration store, hospital, or their contents. The wharves at So mata, Banika and Ufa were wrecked.

At Somata, the boat shed and hospital were also wrecked. At Faiami, the hos pital and Chinese quarters were wreck ed, and considerable damage was done to the copra drier, bungalow and all other buildings. At Banika, the copra store, hospital and the shore buildings suffered the greatest damage. At Ufa, the hospital and Chinese quarters were wrecked; while at Pepesala and Lingatu damage to all buildings was consider able.

From the adjacent Guadalcanal coast, it is reported that Lavoro Plantation has been completely wrecked and at Visale, the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Mission on Guadalcanal, in addition to heavy damage, there has been loss of life among the natives.

The damage already reported is esti mated at some thousands of pounds.

The Government vessel left Tulagi, on receipt of the news, for a tour of the stricken area.