Some OFWs back from Japan, recount ordeal

abs-cbnNEWS.com


MANILA, Philippines – Some overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Japan have begun arriving here, carrying with them the horrors they saw and experienced when a major earthquake and tsunami hit the country.

Yolanda Ouchi, Loida Dabue and Ricardo Pesino were among the OFWs from Japan who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport early Sunday.

They told ABS-CBN News that they were glad to be home unscathed after Friday's 8.9 magnitude quake, one of the largest ever recorded, unleashed a terrifying tsunami that engulfed towns and cities on Japan's northeastern coast.

Ouchi was teary eyed as she narrated their experience in Japan. She said their house was located 4 hours away from Honshu island, one of hard hit areas, but they were still traumatized.

She said when the major earthquake and tsunami struck, she thought they were going to die.

"Iba na siya, biglang lumindol tapos ang lakas… Sabi ko, ‘Huli na yata namin ito,’" Ouchi said.

Dabue said she was shocked when she saw on television the massive destruction.

"Awa… noong napanood ko sa TV siyempre na-shock kami. Parang na-recall ko ‘yong napanood ko sa movie. I just stopped watching kasi hindi ko kaya," Dabue said.

She said she was grateful that she and her family were unharmed.

After the earthquake, a traumatized Pesino said he has no plans of returning to Japan after 25 years of staying there.

“’Yong lindol sa Japan araw-araw. Talagang normal na ‘yon. Pero hindi ganoon kalakas at katindi. Super earthquake talaga," he said.

More Filipinos from Japan are expected to come home as some flights to and from the battered country have normalized.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said there are a total of 305,972 Filipinos in Japan. -Report from Jerome Lantin, ABS-CBN News. With Agence France-Presse

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