HUNDREDS DEAD IN ITALIAN ERUPTION, MAGMA MEN ATTACK POPULATION

From the New York Times:

In a bizarre and tragic repeat of history last evening, Mount Pompeii erupted suddenly and without warning, killing at least 400 people in surrounding villages. Seismologists are stunned by the sudden and unheralded blast, that preceded by any of the commonly understood warning signals that normally can be observed in advance of erupting volcanies.

Further, scattered reports have been coming in from survivors that the magma spewing forth in certain areas took human form and attacked people as they ran for their lives. Some unconfirmed reports even indicate that another, single body of rock attempted to fight against the "magma-creatures" but was overwhelmed and swarmed over by hundreds of the apparently living magma-men, bent on killing the desperate people. Satellite images and overflying planes even observed one giant magma field coming to life and towering 50 feet over panicked victims, stepping on them as they ran. Reports are still filtering in about these events, which seem to have subsided after the main eruptive force was spent.

World rescue agencies are rushing workers and equipment to the scene, but it feared that the death toll will rise into the thousands.