Three Filipinos injured in major Taiwan earthquake—MECO
Three Filipinos were hurt following the 7.4-magnitude quake that struck Taiwan, the strongest to hit the country in decades.
In an interview on ANC Headstart on Thursday, April 4, Silvestre Bello III—Manila Economic and Cultural Office chairman—said that three Filipinos were left with minor injuries from the earthquake. No deaths among the Pinoy community have been reported so far.
“Sa mga namatay, walang namatay na kababayan natin. Sa mahigit isang libong injured, tatlo lang na kababayan natin ang affected,” he said, adding that they are overseas Filipino workers.
According to Bello, one of the OFWs got their hand slammed in a door during the quake, while another sustained a minor injury after a ceiling collapsed and a part of it hit their head.
The powerful quake hit Taiwan on Wednesday, April 3, just before 8:00 a.m. local time, prompting tsunami warnings in Japan and the Philippines before being lifted.
It left at least nine people dead and thousands injured. Officials warned of more tremors in the coming days.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in a statement said the Department of Migrant Workers is “diligently ensuring the safety of 159,480 Filipinos currently residing in Taiwan.”
"We stand ready to assist and support our fellow Filipinos in Taiwan in any way possible during this difficult period," he continued.