Cyclone Devastation in Far East; Fear for Jewish Settlers in Bureya

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Tens of thousands of people in the Far East, including part of Bureya, are without food and shelter because of a cyclone which visited that area yesterday. The cyclone which passed over Harbin, continued with increasing force today, in the direction of Bureya.

Towns and villages in an area of twenty miles were flooded by waters overflowing the lakes Usury and Zea. Many of the villages were washed away. Houses, livetock and household articles floated in the swelling waters.

At Amur the situation is catastropic. The hydromatic station reports that the situation will become worse.

Special measures have been taken at Chabarovsk. Evacuation of the towns presents a terrible picture. Many railway stations were flooded and the train movement paralyzed. Damages amounting to five million roubles have already been reported.

The Comzet, government department for Jewish colonization, telegraphed to Bureya to inquire the situation of the new Jewish settlements in Bira-Bidzhan. The government department stated to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency correspondent that it is possible the Jewish settlements in Bira-Bidzhan have not suffered, the danger being only to the newly constructed roads and the harvested hay. The Comzet pointed out that last year a similar flood in the Far East did not touch Bidzhan.

The Ozet, society sponsoring the Bidzhan settlement, received a telegram from their representative, Mr. Rashkes, in Chabarovsk, referring only to business and not mentioning the flood.